Instead of Praying

I visited Shiro Hamanaka in Hagi. In a room that was far from bright, there was a long horizontal window, and light slanted in. He sat at the other end of the light, his profile faintly illuminated, revealing his bone structure like an X-ray. A beautiful form.



Facing away, he gazes at the back of his own head. He is looking at the back of his own head. This becomes a vessel.



He says that when he looks at something, he tries to overlay the back of his own head onto it. It seems like he is looking at something other than himself, but he is looking at himself. The criteria for judging whether something is good or not may already exist within oneself. One could also say that people are subconsciously drawn to what they already possess. The head, something everyone has. It is natural, then, that his vessels appeal to so many people.



His skulls seem to occupy a space between the head and a teacup. As if in inverse proportion to practicality, the head—skull—teacup—yunomi, the head is abstracted. Yet, when held, the roundness of the skull and that of the teacup or yunomi feel remarkably similar, fitting comfortably in the hand.



The studs, a signature detail he employs, are teeth. Lined up closely, their sharply cut forms remind one, almost belatedly, of their original nature as blades capable of biting through even tough flesh. Each stud is cut individually. The mind-bogglingly intricate and monotonous work, just to hear about it, is to him like folding a thousand paper cranes. A form of prayer. Not for himself, nor to fulfill any wish. It is simply something he must do.



Refined yet primal, even shocking, and yet peaceful. When I try to describe his vessels, it reminds me of my first impression of *shinsen* (sacred offerings). The heads of deer and wild boar, impaled for offering to the gods. How terrifying, and how beautiful. The most important part, the head, is for the gods; the rest of the meat is shared with the gods.



He sees his own head in his vessels. While he is offering what he has created, he himself is the offering. Therefore, it must be a head.



This is not a hobby, nor is it a matter of taste. I believe it is a vessel born from a profound necessity, something he simply had to do. And yet, people pick it up without fully understanding why, calling it cool. How wonderful that is.




"alternative white" Shiro Hamanaka Exhibition

Dates: Saturday, December 14 – Sunday, December 22, 2013

Hours: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Open daily during the exhibition period.

Saruyama

Wako Mansion 101, 3-12-46 Moto-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-3401-5935

http://guillemets.net/

http://www.facebook.com/guillemets.layout.studio.saruyama

https://twitter.com/conoide




Saruyama Opens a Three-Month Pop-Up Shop at Kanazawa's "Monotohito"

Saruyama will be holding a limited-time pop-up shop at "Monotohito," a shop for crafts and daily life in Hirosaka, Kanazawa, from January 10th (Friday) to March 30th (Sunday).



Part 1: January 10th (Friday) – February 13th (Thursday): Featuring products from Saruyama Design

Part 2: February 15th (Saturday) – March 2nd (Sunday): Shiro Hamanaka Exhibition

February 15th (Saturday): Artist in attendance

Part 3: March 4th (Tuesday) – 30th (Sunday): Featuring collaborative series by Saruyama Design x Artists



Additionally, a lecture will be held on January 10th (Friday) at 3:00 PM in the Kanazawa Craft Business Creation Organization Lecture Room (8F Korinbo La Mode), featuring Nobuto Akagi (Urushi Lacquerware Artist), Gosei Kumada (Representative of Higashiya), and Osamu Saruyama (Designer / Owner of Saruyama).

Date & Time: January 10th (Friday), 3:00 PM – (approx. 1.5 to 2 hours)

Venue: Kanazawa Craft Business Creation Organization Lecture Room (8F Korinbo La Mode)

Address: 2-4-30 Korinbo, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture (Please include if necessary)

Capacity: 50 people (Reservations required)

Admission Fee: Free

How to Apply: Please apply via email or fax

Email: info@kanazawacraft.jp

Fax. 076-265-5108



Monotohito

1-2-20 Hirosaka, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture

Tel & Fax. 076-255-0086

Hours: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Closed Mondays (or Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday)

New Year Holidays

http://www.seikatsu-kogei.com/