Tradition - Jōmon Period
Jōmon period is the earliest historical era of Japanese history which began around 10,500 BCE until 300 BCE. Clay figurines called dogu and Jōmon pots have largely been discovered from that period of time. Jōmon pots are considered the oldest in the world.
I am Interested in Jōmon pots and clay figurines. “Jōmon,” meaning "cord-marked" or "cord-patterned,", Jōmon pottery generally refers to pottery with rope patterns. I found the patterns on the pots have been decorated complicatedly, they are for practical use but also full of aesthetic. For the clay figurine, it is a human-shaped earthen product. There are many female statues, and there is a theory that they were used as objects of magical rituals related to fertility and the prosperity of descendants, and were used to pray for safe childbirth and abundant prey. The uniqueness of the looks of them have been drawn me into further develop the research on this tradition.
In this project, I want to create a collection of work celebrating Jōmon Period, create a collection of work inspired by the unique features of the spiral patterns and lines in Jōmon pots and figurines, and also embrace the world's oldest ceramics, which full of value in the history.
Clay figurines Dogu
Primary Research
Before I start researching on Jōmon Period, there are some reasons that motivated me to do this topic. Also informed my initial ideas.
I was first inspired by the Ayahuasca Ceremony that I had participated six months ago. Ayahuasca is a key element in Shipibo-Konibo culture. I got to know Shipibo patterns because my friend gave me a piece of Shipibo textile made by the indigenous tribe that lives in the Amazon Jungle in Peru. Through Ayahuasca I noticed the uniqueness and beauty of Shipibo patterns which inspired my further research on the traditional tribal patterns. The Shipibo textiles are made when the women listen to the Icaro songs, they see these visions and the women begin creating the distinct hand-painted textiles.
I am fascinated by the pattern, the meaning of the patterns and how they create the pattern in craftmanship. I then research more about tribal patterns and found Jōmon Period patterns and the craftmanship at that time.
Contemporary Artist Approach - Taku Oshima
The turning point that made me decide to choose Jōmon Period as my traditional research is because of a Japanese blackwork tattoo master - Taku Oshima. His tattoo design is inspired by Jōmon period ancient tribal tattoo and patterns. He has captured the essence of blackwork in his bold designs: powerful neo-tribal works that convey the endless possibilities of art that can be created with monochromatic tattoos. He also trying hard for a revival of traditional tribal Japanese and other Southeast Asian tattooing forms. In ancient tribal they will get tattoos on their bodies to identify themselves. Jōmon tattoos can only be seen on ancient clay figurines, and Taku is still attempting to understand their functions and meanings. He has evolved it into his design, and has greatly created a lot of amazing tattoo designs.
I like the bold lines, and the tribal geometric patterns in his tattoo work. I have greatly inspired by him. I think I will look into his design and design my own geometric patterns in my work. I also love the great contrast in his work too. Black and white will be the main element to create patterns in my work.
Artist Inspired By Jōmon - Ryunosuke Okazaki
Tokyo-based designer Ryunosuke Okazaki has created a collection of couture dresses in bold colours and shapes that are informed by Japanese Jōmon-era pottery and the Shinto religion. He applied the Jōmon pots elements in his collection, which is similar to what I want to approach, but just in a different medium. I look at his design and I am impressed by the contrast colours and the curve of the fabric.
Further Research For Contemporary Jōmon Inspired Artworks
When I further researched Jōmon culture, I found out even video games have recreated and used Jōmon culture as an element. One famous video game in Japan called “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is designed by Nintendo’s art director Takizawa Satoruthe, he said the “Sheikah slates, shrines and other ancient objects” in the game were inspired by Jōmon culture.
Also, there is an experience park "Sarashina No Sato Museum" which is a recreated Jōmon village, people can go there for different activities and understand more about Jōmon culture. It is situated at Chikuma, Nagano. And there still have potters making Jōmon pottery, in a more modern way. The creations shown below are impressive.
Product Inspired By Jōmon - Nissin Cup Noodles
Furthermore, I found something interesting. Nissin Foods Co., Ltd., the manufacturer of Cup Noodles launched an earthernware container for cup noodles in 2017. The earthenware container is very creatively made, it keeps the look of traditional Jōmon Pots but is also functional which people can use when eating cup noodles.
I was inspired by this product that Nissin launched to celebrate the Jōmon Period in Japan, using the iconic Jōmon Pots look, and merging the functional use for their major food product Nissin Cup Noodles, that was a good example that they have made the traditional innovate to a new design.
Contemporary Practitioner Research - Kitamura Junko
I have researched some ceramic works that I have found inspiring and will use some of the elements in my work. Kitamura Junko is a ceramicist born in Kyoto, Japan in 1956. She is inspired by the ancient 15th-century Korean tradition of punch’ong ware with slip-inlay, Kitamura creates thickly walled, wheel-thrown ceramic vessels with intricate impressed designs, consisting of minuscule concentric dots and geometric punching. She also mentioned that she has partly inspired by the Jōmon period and created those spiral patterns in her work.
The geometric pattern and the inlay technique Kitamura Junko used have made me think about I can make patterns creatively using different tools and techniques. I like how she creates her own style of geometric patterns and she has greatly inspired me. I like the spiral pattern and dots design in her work, in which Jōmon pots have similar features. I will use this element in my works, to create spiral patterns on pots.
Vessel 15-A
2015
Stoneware with black slip and white slip inlay
Kitamura Junko
Contemporary Practitioner Research - En Iwamura
En Iwamura is a Japanese artist and ceramicist who make pop ceramic characters. Iwamura etches repeated lines into his clay figures, the lines have refers to the line work in Jōmon Pot, he thinks having the line in his works gives him a lot of information like ancient artefacts, and he also has inspired by the raked patterns found in Zen Buddhist gardens. For the pop clay figures, he is inspired by Japanese Manga history, having an interesting manga-ish expression on the face of his clay figures.
En Iwamura's clay figures remind me of Jōmon clay figurines and inspired me to do sculptural pieces that could celebrate the uniqueness of Jōmon figurines. I also love the lines and textures in Iwamura's work, which I want to include in my work.
Contemporary Practitioner Research - Mathew Arnold
Mathew is a ceramicist who uses tape to create patterns in his work. I am obsessed with the delicate and fine patterns in his work, he mostly doesn't mention the meaning of the patterns, but I see some of his pattern work as tribal patterns, and give me an organic vibe.
I want to use tape to create patterns in my work, the taping process reminds me of coil building, and the process is also starting from a line. I see the similarity with my ideas, and I think this technique will resonate with my Jōmon pots.
Initial Ideas And Sketches Of The Final Piece
First of all there are some elements I got inspired by Jōmon and wish to include in my work. The rope patterns, the face of the Jōmon clay figurines, and the spiral and line work. I want to have both the 3D printed pieces and the handmade ceramic pieces as the final pieces.
First of all, the rope patterns on Jōmon pots are like the 3D printing line textures. I think of that is a modern age approach of rope. And also the Jōmon pots are all made by coil building, the coil building process is so much like 3D printing also. I want to use coil building to make my work, and also include some 3D-printed objects.
Second, I wish to make spiral and lines patterns in my work, it is to refer to the patterns on Jōmon Pots. I want to use coils to make patterns, and to form the whole piece. Also, I will explore more lines patterns possibilities. I also have an idea of using tape to make spiral and lines patterns on the pots.
Third, I want to refer to the facial expression of the Jōmon clay figurines to make faces on my pots.
My initial idea is to combine both handmade and 3D printing in the final piece. the digital part will be a printed object, and I will combine it with a handmade coil building object, which will have rope patterns on it. My other idea is to make one digital printed Jōmon Pot and one coil made Jōmon Pot with my own contemporary approach. I will further develop and test these ideas when I go further experiments.
Workshop Rotation 1- Digital Ceramics
Rhino And 3D Printing Process
I have used Rhino to make some cylinder designs for printing. I am interested in the twist effect. I have created two vessels with a twist effect.
Then I send the file to Ultimaker Cura and print the object out. The bottom of the object is quite squeezy, but overall it was good so I keeps it.
Below is another design with a twist form, this time I created a round corner square shape.
I accidentally added a cap for the object, it changed to something I didn't expect as a container but an object now.
Glazing the 3D Objects
I have glaze fired the 3D-printed objects with Tenmoku glaze, with a thin layer of brush on white glaze. I wanted to use Tenmoku glaze because I want to have simple glazing of black and white in my pieces, I love how the glaze came out, I can still see the 3D printing lines on the surface, but because I am dipping the glaze it's covering the textures too much. For improvement, I will brush the glaze on it to make a thinner layer of glaze, or I will just glaze the interior.
Cups And Vessels Design
I have done more practice in designing objects in Rhino. This time I am creating some cups and vessels design.
I have recorded down the steps of making a cup or vessel shape: 1) Make one or more shapes 2) Command move 3) Command loft.
Then you will have a cup or vessel shape with different depths.
Below I have shown the cap screens that show the process of creating a vessel.
I have designed a Jōmon Pot on Rhino.
The Jōmon Pot shape is not successful, when printing it turns up as a shape with spiral lines on top.
I have then glazed some 3D- printed objects to test how the glaze works with them, I have chosen Honey earthenware glaze for these, I want transparency but also the yellowish colour on them, and the yellowish is quite similar to Jōmon Pots. I found out the glaze works very well with the 3D-printed objects, the glaze didn't cover the lines in the pots, which is what I wish to achieve.
Further experiments on 3D- printing
I have printed a low cylinder, and glazed it with clear glaze. The base is too thin, and after glaze fired it broke. But overall I quite love the gaps on the base, and how the glaze have mended it.
3D Printing- Cups and Containers
I have made a cup design and printed it in different variations, there are five cups of different heights, resulting that even though they are the same design, finish printing at different times can result in they have different usage.
My first printing failed, the flow was 50, but the base and the walls are uneven and too thin, and there was a gap in the base, resulting in the cup can't be functional. So I tried to print them in high flow like 80-90 at the beginning when printing the base. That was successful, the base and the walls didn't have any holes and can be functional to contain liquid. So I prefer to print them thick afterwards, to have a better surface.
After bisque fired, I used a sponge to glaze them with black underglaze, and clear glaze on top. I chose black because I want the big contrast with the beige clay body to see the 3D printing lines, and chose underglaze because it can create a thin layer that wouldn't cover the textures. I also chose to use a sponge to sponge the glaze on the ceramic body because I want to create the texture and reveal the line patterns on the 3D-printed objects.
After glazing them with underglaze, I dip the cups into clear glaze on top. I cover them with clear stoneware glaze because I wish to make them functional as a cup. The clear glaze is quite thick, so I wipe off a bit at the bottom, preventing the glaze running all away down to the bottom and stuck in the kiln shelves. Also, as I understand the clear glaze is quite thick, and is runny, I wish the final outcomes will have some dripping drop glaze at the bottom of the cups.
The Final Look Of The Cups
The black underglaze becomes blue after covered by the clear glaze, I believe it's the glaze matter that it is not purely clear. The pictures below shows that the glaze is dripping as I imagined. I love the dripping drops, and the black underglaze has mixed with the clear glaze, flow down and became blue dripping drops, which is beautiful.
Final Outcomes Ideas And Sketches
My idea for the final outcome of this project is to make some sculptural objects and vessel that embrace Jōmon Period. I take inspiration from Jōmon pots and the clay figurines and create a range of sculptures and vessels that innovate from them. I have made some further developments to my idea sketches. In the final outcomes, I want to bring both 3D print ceramics and coil-building ceramics pieces together.
3D print vessel with tape patterns
3D print Jōmon Pot with tape patterns
Coil building Jōmon sculptures designs
Material And Process Investigations
I have an idea of using clay coils to build spiral and line patterns in the plaster mold. I rolled the coils with my hands and rolled them into different parts, and then stick the parts together. I have to sponge the coils with water between each coil to make the whole piece stick together perfectly.
This is my first attempt at making my own design Jōmon Pot. I love the design and wanted to explore more different pattern designs, also I will further explore the possibilities of different clay bodies and try to use extruder to make coils.
Testing The Jōmon Pots Shape
Then I started to play around with stacking the 3D printed objects and the handmade coil-building object together and see how they look. The whole idea is to make my own version of Jōmon Pot. The handmade part and the digital parts stacked together and made it a vessel. The shape is like Jōmon Pot, but the contrast between the two concepts is not big enough. So I will go for my other idea, which will make a complete coil building Jōmon Pot and print a complete digital Jōmon Pot.
Glazing The Test Piece
I have glazed the Jōmon test piece with Tenmoku glaze, it seems to be too brown, and it's not what I wanted it to be. I wish to have a more black surface.
Further Development
I have also tried to make bigger Jōmon Pots, to further experiment the idea. I have let it sits and dry slowly, but at last, it has broken because the coils aren't sticking together well.
For another experiment, I tried to use a slip trailer to make patterns on a plaster mold, and hope to take it off when it is leather-hard, but at last, it broke because it is too thin, so the idea doesn't work.
Mini Clay Extruder
I built the coils in the mold to get the round container shape. For the coils, after further testing I want to make delicate coils, so if I am using my hands to roll they would be thick and uneven, so I have considered using a normal size clay extruder to extrude coils, but then I found out there is a mini extruder that could extrude a more delicate coil, I tried it to test if I am happy with it to produce my work.
The picture below is the mini extruder and the normal size dies of the normal extruder. The operation of the extruder is so much similar with the ceramics 3D printer. Their similarity is they will extrude clay coils from the extruder. This is one of the elements that I want to include in my final piece.
Making Of The Final Pieces - Neo Jōmon Figurine
I have included the videos that show my coiling process, I just slightly stick the coils and didn't blend them together too much, and tried to achieve a delicate and fragile feeling in it.
I make the upper round bowl shape and the foot separately, after leaving them for a day and become leather hard stage, I then use slip to stick them together.
Below is the unfired look of the first Neo Jōmon Pot. I am satisfied with it overall, the coils are delicate enough as I have designed, and they are sticking together perfectly.
Then I am making for the second Neo Jōmon pot, I made long coils and then stuck them together to become a cylinder as a foot. On the first attempt, I failed because I just roll several coils and stick them together, but the coils are not sticking together completely.
So on the second attempt, after I stick the coils together, I place it on a cloth and roll it flat with a rolling pin. the coils stick together perfectly and this time I can stand it up and make it become a foot.
Here is the base of the pot's upper part. This time I am making long coils and making more parts of the spiral patterns and sticking them to each other with more touching area. The patterns look good together, and this seems more steady than the first Jōmon Pot.
Then I extruded different handles to choose which I will put on the pot.
The handles I was trying to stick on the pot are very fragile, I try my best to use slip to stick the coils as many touching points with the pot as possible, they actually stuck together quite well, just a bit of crack appeared between the surface and the coils after two days.
Sadly, I fall the pot on the table and the handles are broken. I still want to keep the pot, I thought I could make it looks like ancient objects. They always have broken parts, also like the Jōmon Clay Figurines, they always lost a part of their arms or legs.
Glazing The Neo Jōmon Figurines
I have made a test piece for the Jōmon Pot. After bisque fired I wanted to use black underglaze for my pieces, the reason is I want to have a big contrast between the lines and the patterns on the pots. I then tried it, and the effect is exactly what I wish to have, the surface is matt and has the feeling of raw clay, an unglazed surface, which also has an ancient object feeling.
After firing the test piece, I started to glaze the final pieces, I also used a sponge to sponge the black underglaze on them, I love how the surface reflected the sponge trace and the lines and patterns in the pots popping out. I think the Jōmon Pots are more beautiful after glazed and are more close to my ideas that wanted the big contrast patterns in my work.
Testing For The Neo Jōmon Vessel
I have 3D- printed a small cup which has a similar shape to the shape I wish to print as the final piece. I use it as a tester to test the taping and the glaze application. I used 1.5mm tape to make the patterns on the cup. the tape has some folds when turning it around, but at last, I controlled it and made the pattern I designed. I have used a sponge to sponge the Tenmoku glaze on it.
The fired look is below. The Tenmoku glaze appeared on the surface quite thin, I like the thinness but it is too brown, and it hasn't had a big contrast. So I will not use the Tenmoku glaze for my final pieces.
Making Of The Final Piece - Neo Jōmon Vessel
I have created a 3D-printed vessel that I wish to include in my final pieces. Unfortunately, I forgot to do the cap screen in Rhino of the model. It is the shape I have drawn in the sketches before. The vessel's wall is quite thin, and the base is too thin too, it seems to break easily. I handle it very carefully but the base just couldn't hold it. The cracks also start to appear on the corner of the vessel's base, I think it is because the corners are too sharp and thin, they start to dry quickly and start to break. I think next time I have to print it in a higher flow, to have a poreless surface.
After bisque firing the vessel, I clean up the dust and powder on the clay body and start to tape it. I have various sizes of masking tapes, from 1mm to 4mm. I chose to work with 4mm and 1.5mm for this piece. The masking tape is durable enough to make curve lines, but I still need to control my hands' movement and dynamics to achieve the curve lines, it is especially hard to do the curve when the circle goes smaller.
After taping, I start to use a sponge to sponge the black underglaze on it, and I have tried to not sponge it too hard because the glaze will go into the line gaps on the surface. It is also one of the 3D- print object special features.
After the glaze dried, I start to peel off the tape. I have recorded the video of the peeling process, which I found it very satisfying.
FINAL PIECES- NEO JŌMON FIGURINES AND VESSEL
Workshop Rotation 2- Glass
In this workshop rotation, I developed some processes for making glass pieces.
The first week I made a slump piece. My idea was to use the cut glass to gather a picture. It was a scene with ocean, sun and birds.
In the second week, I made a paperweight piece. I have learnt how to add colour frits to a round glass object. In the process, I found out that centring the object is difficult. I have to practice more to turn the object smoothly.
The finished paperweight object
In the third week, I made some cane and threads practice. In week four, I keep practising making paperweight/ baubles.
In week five, I made a starfish shape object, but more like a flower, which I really like the blue and white colours in the clear glass. And also there is a mushroom shape object, but the root is too thin so it broke off.
Making Of The Glass Bowl
I have an idea of using threads to make sculptural bowl shape pieces. I have thought of using threads because they are like coils in ceramics, and thought I could make delicate patterns using threads, like making the Jōmon pots in glass version. I am inspired by the lines element in Jōmon Pots and aim to go further experiments in glass. This Glass Bowl series is exploring the technique of pulling threads in glass and resonates with the Jōmon Pots. Also challenging the material possibilities, I want to challenge the glass material to be as delicate as it can.
I have pulled some threads ready to use.
For the first bowl, I have chosen orange and yellow as the main colour palette of this bowl and placed the threads on the mold. Then I trimmed the threads shorter to fits on the edge of the round mold. This is to prevent the threads slump out of the mold and stuck on the edge.
I have also made a white and red threads combination, and a white and dark blue combination, using different sizes of molds.
Placing the threads one by one is a process to control my handshakes. After placing the threads in the mold, I place the molds in the kiln and ready for firing.
Below is the picture showing the before and after. The threads are not slumping as straight as I imagine, a lot of them are curly, and not tidy. I see this as my first experiment and think this is a good start to know what can I do to improve next time. For improvement, I will fuse the glass threads together on a flat mold first, then place it in the round bowl shape mold to start slumping it, but not just place the threads in the round mold. I will try next time to see how it works.
But overall, I am happy with the result, they look experimental.
THE GLASS BOWL
The Final Set Up And Reflection
The final pieces are placed on the table and they are resonating together. The line patterns are very obvious and have a big contrast.
First of all, in this Neo Jōmon project, I want to bring up the idea of making a collection that is inspired by Jōmon Period, and create a collection of work celebrating Jōmon Period. I have been inspired by the Jōmon Period's pots and clay figurines, aiming at the spiral and line patterns found in those objects, innovating them and create my own collection. I also have taken inspiration from some of the researched contemporary practitioners. There are three parts in my collection, the 3D- printed vessel, handmade coil building clay figurines, and the threads glass bowls. These are all aimed at one topic, the line element from Jōmon Period.
The outcomes of those three outcomes are resonating with each other. The delicate coils in the clay figurines have made the spiral lines patterns and show a big contrast with the black underglaze, which resulting I have the patterns on my pieces that are not painted on them but using coil building technique to build the patterns on my works. This is then linked to the 3D- printed vessel, the geometric line patterns on it are made by tape, having the similar patterns with the clay figurines, but using another technique to make the patterns. Aiming at the line patterns, I then made the threads in glass and made three bowls. They all have the element of lines, in different versions. I have learned that lines can be explored in many ways, in different materials and making techniques. In different materials they can be reacting differently, and how I can physically design and control the materials.
Overall I am satisfied with the results. At the start of this project I have also inspired by the tattoo work of Taku Oshima, the bold and black and white contrast has affected my designs. I have reflected the elements well in my outcomes. The whole collection has a delicate and fragile feeling that I am really passionate about. I think in the future I will continue to make delicate works and patterns work. I also will keep exploring different materials' possibilities, and try to achieve exquisite workmanship.
References:
1. Jōmon people, Jōmon culture and the roots of the Japanese people - https://takahashi2saito0.medium.com/j%C5%8Dmon-people-j%C5%8Dmon-culture-and-the-roots-of-the-japanese-people-2030edff3c30
2. The Majesty of Jōmon Pottery- https://closetomountfuji.com/2020/10/18/the-majesty-of-jomon-pottery/
3. What is Jomon pottery? Thorough explanation of features and history!- https://media.thisisgallery.com/20225083
4. Japanese Pottery- Jōmon clay figurines from the Jōmon Period - http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/jomon-dogu.html
5. Sarashina No Sato Museum - https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1021321-d13020619-Reviews-Sarashina_No_Sato_Museum-Chikuma_Nagano_Prefecture_Koshinetsu_Chubu.html
6. Ryunosuke Okazaki creates couture dresses informed by Jōmon-era pottery - https://www.dezeen.com/2021/03/05/ryunosuke-okazaki-couture-fashion-design/
7. TAKU OSHIMA: JAPAN’S BLACKWORK MASTER - https://www.larskrutak.com/new-taku-oshima-japans-blackwork-master/
8. Nissin's Jōmon Cooker For Cup Noodles Is Born - https://mag.japaaan.com/archives/64144
9. Contemporary Ceramic : Japanese Women - https://www.veniceclayartists.com/tag/japanese-contemporary/
10. Iguchi Daisuke - https://www.mirviss.com/artists/iguchi-daisuke?view=slider
11. Art of the Shipibo-Konibo - https://www.perunorth.com/news/2016/3/30/art-of-the-shipibo
12. En Iwamura- Collaborations with Avant Arte - https://avantarte.com/artists/en-iwamura
13. En Iwamura- Maake Magazine - https://www.maakemagazine.com/en-iwamura
14. Kitamura Junko - https://www.mirviss.com/artists/kitamura-junko?view=slider
15. Mathew Arnold - https://mathewplayswithfire.com/collections/saturday-september-3rd-4pm-shop-update
