Blue and white porcelain silver-colored pottery Kazuhiro Matsukawa

Blue and white porcelain silver-glazed ceramic box by Kazuhiro Matsukawa (W: 3.9cm D: 3.6cm H: 3.7cm)
-- "A single streak of silver frost appears on a pale blue box. The shape of the rime in his palm "crystallizes" the blank space."

I. Architecture in the palm of your hand: the ceramic box

A ceramic box is not only a container for storage, but also a tool for adjusting the atmosphere through the action of opening and closing. This piece is extremely small, almost cubic in shape.
At this size, the box goes beyond being a "trinket box" and becomes more like a piece of architecture that can be placed in the palm of your hand . The tension you feel when you close the lid, the relief you feel when you open it - even the slightest movement changes the density of the space. It is precisely because it is small that the silence is intense and the gestures are refined.

II. Blue-and-white porcelain—clearer than white, softer than blue, like the skin of still water

2-1 Pale blue is not a color, but a quality of light

The appeal of pale blue porcelain lies not in its assertive blue color, but in its texture, which softly absorbs and quietly diffuses light. The pale blue of this piece is imbued with a clarity reminiscent of ice or the surface of water, and the smooth transition of shadows along the slight gradient of the surface creates a sense of depth that belies the vessel's small size.
The less information there is, the more the precision of the shape and the tension of the skin become the expression - Matsukawa Kazuhiro's blue-and-white porcelain is a material that transforms these harsh conditions into beauty.

2-2 Temperature seen at the joint line

The thin line of the joint that runs between the lid and the body faintly reveals a pale orange color resulting from the firing process. It is not completely pristine, but rather traces of the flame and the hands remain as a line of heat. This subtle difference transforms the pureness of the pale blue porcelain into a breathy clarity rather than just a coldness.

III. Ginsai - A hint of frost tightens the cube

3-1 Silver is not a mirror, but a shining speck

The silver glaze applied to one surface (or one corner) does not assert a strong metallic glow, but rather has a subdued sparkle with fine grains. The light is not reflected by the surface, but is received in points and scattered softly - giving the impression of frost, light snow, or moonlight.
This quiet silver adds tension to the silence of the pale blue and makes the outline of the box stand out even more clearly.

3-2 Contrasting composition: blue still water × silver stone surface

While the pale blue porcelain is enveloping like water or air, the silver glaze adds a sense of hardness like the surface of stone. By adding a different texture to one outer corner, the cube does not appear monotonous, and the "center of gravity" seems to change depending on the angle from which it is viewed . Although it is a small box, the power of the composition edits the space.

IV. The view when opened: the blank space in the pale blue “hollow”

When you remove the lid, a pale blue interior is revealed. What should be a small hollow is a surprisingly clear space.
Small pieces of fragrant wood, sugar candy, seals, and small crafts—all of these quietly stand out against this pale blue blank space. Furthermore, the arrangement of the lid and body creates two blank spaces, making it a beautiful piece that can be displayed as well as stored.

V. Combination and Seasonal Feelings—The Brightness of Winter, the Thin Ice of Early Spring

The frosty shine of the silver glaze and the pale blue of the pale blue porcelain are a perfect match for the crispness of winter, the thin ice of early spring, and the clear night air of autumn. Placing it on a black base accentuates its contours, while placing it on a white cloth enhances its purity.
A box of this size is unlikely to play a supporting role in the set. Rather, it has the power to tighten the space as the center of the blank space .

summary

The blue-and-white porcelain and silver-glazed ceramic box is a miniature universe that fits in the palm of your hand, condensing the still water of the blue-and-white porcelain and the frosty atmosphere of the silver glaze into a tiny, almost cubic space. The silver glaze creates tension in one corner, while the pale blue clarifies the remaining space. Whether closed or open, the box is well-organized, creating a quiet and clear space.
Small and neat, yet with the power to transform a space, this work is the crystallization of Matsukawa Kazuhiro's unique "design of tranquility" in the smallest unit.

Biography

1977 Born in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture
1998 Graduated from Nara College of Arts, Ceramic Art Course
2000 Graduated from Nara College of Arts
2001 Graduated from Kyoto Prefectural Pottery Technical College and studied under Takahiro Kondo
2006 Independent and opened a kiln in Kawachinagano City

Major solo exhibitions and exhibitions

2007 Kyoto Prefecture Fine Arts and Crafts New Artists Selection Exhibition (Kyoto Museum)
Two-person exhibition (Matsuzakaya Nagoya Art Gallery/Nagoya)
Solo exhibition (Kyoto Takashimaya Art and Craft Salon/Kyoto)
2008 Solo Exhibition (Campanule/Chiba)
Solo exhibition (Paramita Museum Small Gallery/Mie)
2009 Solo Exhibition (Gallery Espace/Nagoya)
2010 Solo Exhibition (Sapporo Mitsukoshi Art Gallery/Hokkaido)
Solo exhibition (Matsuzakaya Nagoya Art Gallery/Nagoya)
Solo exhibition (Alpark Tenmaya Art Gallery/Hiroshima)
2011 Solo Exhibition (Ceramics Gallery Furyo/Osaka) ('07)
2012 Solo Exhibition (Gallery Okumura/Tokyo) ('07 '09)
2013 Solo Exhibition (Lovely Hall 20th Anniversary Event/Osaka)
2014 Solo Exhibition (Tenmaya Hiroshima Hatchobori Art Gallery/Hiroshima) ('11)
2016 Solo Exhibition (Tenmaya Fukuyama Art Gallery/Hiroshima) ('08 '12)
Three-person exhibition (Hakata Hankyu Muse/Fukuoka)
2017 Solo Exhibition (Pinacotheca / Tokyo) ('14 '15)
Solo exhibition (Tenmaya Okayama Art Gallery/Okayama) ('08)
Solo exhibition (Atelier Hiro/Osaka)
2018 Solo Exhibition (Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Art Gallery/Tokyo)
Solo exhibition (Takashimaya Osaka Gallery NEXT/Osaka) ('08 '11 '15)
2020 Solo Exhibition (Hana Asagi/Tokyo)
2021 Solo Exhibition (Gallery Tachibana/Nara) ('15 '17 '19)
2022 Two-person exhibition (Hana Asagi/Tokyo)
2023 Two-person exhibition (Atelier Hiro/Osaka)
2025 Two-person exhibition (Hana Asagi/Tokyo)
Solo exhibition (Midorigaoka Museum of Art/Nara)

Awards

36th Japan Traditional Crafts Kinki Exhibition (Osaka Prefecture Board of Education Award)
55th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Japan Crafts Association President's Award)

Public Collection

Midorigaoka Museum of Art