Kurinuki Vessels

Kurinuki Vessels: A Modern Take On A Japanese Tradition

In this series, I've revisited Kurinuki, a historic Japanese technique dating back to the early 1600s, which involves carving vessels from a solid block of clay. Unlike other hand-building methods, Kurinuki requires slow, deliberate carving with a wire tool that shapes the exterior, and then cutting the piece in half to hollow the interior, and finally piecing the two pieces together for a finished vessel. Each large vessel begins with a 20 pound block of clay, and through hours of carving the form emerges and the surface is marked by my touch in each slice. The texture of the wire tool often remains on the surface, creating a unique tactile history within the clay. Staying true to the tradition, these vessels are fired in a reduction gas kiln and finished with a Shino glaze that incorporates wood ash, mimicking the effects of historical wood firings. The process is labor-intensive and meditative, with each vessel taking hours to complete. The result is a powerful connection between form and surface, where the permanence of the my marks reflects my engagement with the clay. I was awarded a $3,500 Artist Award from Thomas Chen and the Crystal Windows Glass Company at the Asian Arts Exhibition. These works then went on to be displayed at a Gala in Manhattan, where I was one of four chosen artists to exhibit there.

Thomas Chen Family & Crystal Windows Company Awarded a $3,500 scholarship after participating in a Juried exhibition competition. The exhibition focused on contemporary works of art based on Asian Arts and Culture. The exhibition took place in the Student Gallery at Klapper Hall. A panel of notable outside jurors chose the winners. I was awarded a scholarship for my artwork "Kurinuki Vessels: A Modern Take On A Japanese Tradition."

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Quote from the press release: “The student competition drew a wide variety of submissions. Hanson, a BFA student in studio art, created ceramic vessels using the traditional Japanese kurinuki technique of hand building. The technique, which is unique to Japan, explores form and surface through a process of carving a surface from a solid block of clay, then hollowing out the inside.”

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Check out the below press releases!:

https://www.qc.cuny.edu/communications/press-release-october-16/

https://qns.com/2023/10/queens-college-scholarships-thomas-chen-crystal-windows/

https://crystalwindows.com/2023/11/03/crystal-and-chen-family-endowment-offers-scholarships/

https://www.qgazette.com/articles/chen-family-crystal-windows-scholarships-at-queens-college/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyl6mj0vgFV/?img_index=1