Jar

Hamada Shoji said, "There are many ways of approaching work, but mine is action." Displaying centuries-old processes, Hamada's jar derives beauty from both its utilitarian function and its spontaneous, tactile decoration.  Hamada and a group of artists who initiated the Mingei Movement (folk crafts or people's crafts) strove to keep traditional Japanese arts alive. They admired the individuality and personality of handmade works in contrast to the blandness and control of mass-produced objects. In 1952, on a tour through the United States, Hamada promoted mingei aesthetics and demonstrated Japanese potting techniques that influenced American studio ceramics.