Blue and white porcelain silver saiko Kazuhiro Matsukawa

Blue and white porcelain silver saiko by Kazuhiro Matsukawa (Φ: 7.5cm H: 4.2cm)
--"A silver moon hangs over the circle of still water. The moment it opens and closes, the presence is clear and sealed."

Ⅰ The "round barrier" of a container: the density created by the lid

A gosu is a tool that brings together the inside into a single area the moment the lid is closed, and releases the empty space the moment it is opened. Even more than a box, it is a "vessel of movement," and the air changes with the slightest rotation or pressure of the fingertips.
This work is a small circle that fits in the palm of your hand, but when closed it creates a sense of complete stillness, and when opened, two circles appear, creating a gentle breathing in the space. Because the circle has no corners, tension sinks inward, and the stillness naturally deepens.

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

2-1 Pale blue surface: Calm as the surface of water

The top surface of the lid is made of pale blue porcelain, which stretches smoothly, like the surface of calm water. Rather than speaking through its color, the pale blue porcelain softly absorbs and diffuses light, creating depth on the surface.
The circular plane allows only slight shading, but Matsukawa Kazuhiro's blue-and-white porcelain transforms that slight shading into a rich clarity. It is quiet, yet never boring. This is where the strength of the material and the precision of the design come into play.

2-2 A streak of temperature remaining on the rim

The edges of the porcelain are colored with a pale orange hue resulting from the firing process, giving a slight warmth to the pure blue-and-white porcelain. Rather than being completely pure, the traces of the flame and the hands remain as a breath of life, making the vessel more than just a cold beauty; it becomes a tool that grows more intimate the more it is used.

III. Ginsai—Not a mirror, but a “frost moon,” a poem created by a semicircle

3-1 Silver Texture: Fine particles softly scatter light

Ginsai does not have a strongly reflective metallic light, but a subdued brilliance with fine grains. Rather than reflecting the light on a surface, it receives it in points and scatters it softly, giving the impression of frost, light snow, or moonlight.
This "quiet silver" casts a strange, moon-like light on the surface of the pale blue porcelain. It is not flashy, but it draws the eye. The elegance of the silver decoration determines the quality of the entire bowl.

3-2 Semicircular composition: not balanced, but asymmetry with a lingering effect

The silver glaze on this piece is arranged in a semicircle, dividing the circle in half, allowing the blue-and-white porcelain and silver glaze to coexist. Rather than being perfectly symmetrical, the slight deviation creates a "story" within the tranquility of the circle.
Blue represents still water, and silver represents the moon. The two come together to create a sense of the seasons just by looking at the closed glass.

IV. The view when opened: Two plates, two blank spaces

When the lid is opened, the silver glaze appears on the inside of the top lid, echoing the pale blue of the interior. When closed, the single circle becomes two when opened, creating two layers of white space .
It can be used as an incense container to store incense, or to store sugar candy, small sweets, seals, or small accessories. The pale blue background clarifies the outlines of these items, while the silver color adds a touch of light. The container is a "container for storage," but at the same time, it is also a container for display - this duality is completed when it is opened.

V. Combination and Seasonal Feelings - The clarity of winter, the early spring moon, the clear autumn night

The combination of blue-and-white porcelain and silver glaze is a perfect match for the crispness of winter, the thin ice of early spring, and the clear night air of autumn. When placed on a black base, the outline stands out, and when placed on a white cloth, the purity is enhanced.
Furthermore, the round bowl softens the angular utensils in a tea ceremony, creating a gentle rhythm in the space.Rather than being assertive, the bowl acts as a center that helps regulate the atmosphere .

summary

The blue-and-white porcelain silver-colored container is a work that captures the still-water-like clarity of the blue-and-white porcelain and the frost-like light of the silver color in the most tranquil form of a circle. When closed, it is a complete silence, and when opened, two blank spaces appear, creating a clear atmosphere.
Whether used as an incense holder or as a small treasure to hold in the palm of your hand, it quietly sharpens your movements and the space around you - Matsukawa Kazuhiro's unique "design of tranquility" is beautifully crystallized within the circle.

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