Lee Love on fri 3 may 02
----- Original Message -----
From: "BVCuma"
>>>Then MacKenzie said, "But Hamada could not have imagine how far Voulkos
would
take this advice."<<
___________________________
>I believe Hamada's perception of Voulko's work (bless their souls)
>would not have changed had he critiqued his work at any stage.
Hi Bruce.
MacKenzie (who knew both) and Shimaoka (who knew Hamada well) would both
disagree with you.
There is much more feeling in Voulkos' post-Hamada work. Voulkos
admitted to Hamada's important influence. You can read about it in the
current edition of the Studio Potter. Voulkos realized in Hamada that you
could be an artist potter. Before that time, he used his clay work to
support
his "real interest", oil painting. Hamada's influence should not be
minimized.
Of course, nobody was saying that Hamada's and Voulkos work were
similar. Only that Voulkos' latter work had more feeling and paid
attention
to the nature of clay.
The great story here is that as creative people, we don't have to
copy
the people we admire and we don't have to only like the kind of stuff that
comes
out of our own hands. The creative mind should be open, flexible and
accepting.
Some quotes:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/arts/story/0,9848,669512,00.html
"He (Voulkos) then set up a pottery at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena,
producing domestic wares to support his painting. He was visited there by
the
potters Bernard Leach, Shoji Hamada and the philosopher Soetsu Yanagi.
Voulkos
was impressed by Hamada's intuitive, material-led attitude to clay and began
to
explore it more freely. "
Video of Rudy Autio speaking about Hamada's visit to America:
(MPG file. 4.46MB Will take time to download) Some awesome shots of
Hamada
at the wheel. From the documentary: Revolutions of the Wheel:
http://www.queensrow.org/Rudyclip.html
Rudy Speaks some more:
"Rudy Autio still remembers the impact the visit had on him: "To see this
wonderful Japanese artist, Hamada, whose movements were so fluid and
beautiful,
opened my eyes to a vision of ceramics as art."
http://www.sofaexpo.com/NY/catalog/bray.htm
There is lots more on the web. But I'll let others have the joy of the
hunt.
;^)
--
Lee Love In Mashiko Ikiru@kami.com
"The best pots for me are the pots that I like." --Shoji Hamada (1894-1978)
http://www.awanomachi-tcg.ed.jp/mashiko.html
BVCuma on fri 3 may 02
>>"You should let the clay work for you a little more."
Then MacKenzie said, "But Hamada could not have imagine how far Volukos =
would
take this advice."<<
___________________________
Hi Lee,
I believe Hamada's perception of Voulko's work (bless their souls)
would not have changed had he critiqued his work at any stage.
Voulko's conquered the clay, he owned it, mastered it.
He almost raped it...
certainly attacked and "killed" it.
Like a big game cat taking down an antelope.
I never seen him in action...
but the stills always show the weapens of his choice
impaled on the carcass of his prey.
Punctures, blowouts, rips and tears.
Rather obvious his methods...brute force.
I can see him "stalking" and "executing" with deadly precision.
There is a certain fascination with the ritual of death.
No doubt he kicked down some doors for others to enter.
Very western in nature...
I agree there is a balance to be found.
I do not believe Voulko realised it...
nor Hamada.
They were the polarities.
Bruce
BVCuma on sat 4 may 02
>>Hamada's influence should not be minimized.<<
_________________
=20
Hi Lee,
Water greatly influences rock,
as Rock does with water.
The dissimilarities do not diminish
their impact on one another..
but enhance.
I do not know much about the relationships
between the men involved...
or the individuals for that matter.
My idea in response to your anecdote
was a spontaneous perception based on
the few articles and pictures I've seen.
I was well aware, as Jeff mentioned,
that the photo journalistic "angle"
may have created an image in my mind.
(The tools are always "stabbing" the kill..I mean clay : )
None the less I do feel that the ideas expressed
were not totally irrelevant.
I also note that Voulko's assemblages
and manipulations are effected
to a great degree by the plasticity of clay...
Or lack of it.
His usage of a "hard" clay condition
is much more conducive to impeding
the clays ability to determine the manner
in which it is handled.
Thus a softer more plastic condition
in turn imposes its nature more
persuasively on the creative practitioner.
Likewise and vise versa ?!
(thinking more about it)
He was using both actually...
throwing soft, assembling hard.
Needless to say,
Any clay worker appreciates these qualities...
and has suffered the consequences of=20
"dancing" out of step..so to speak.
Ever tried to trim a bisqued pot?
(I know, the Bison tool ad says you can)
go figure?
Anyway..
Thanx for the inputs...
I enjoy finding springboards
from which to enter
into potentially stimulating dialogue.
Bruce
Hey that Voulko's mpeg
was great,
life is so... bazaar.
All you ever needed to know.
Trevor Youngberg on mon 6 may 02
Please!! For the third time. Take me oOFF!!!!!!!! this list. I can't take
it anymore.
youngbergpottery@aol.com
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