67. Tadashi Ito  伊藤正

Tadashi Ito was born in 1952 in Kamaishi, a small fishing village in Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan. The area is characterized by mountains and forests and a coastline with sandy beaches and rock formations, for him a source of lifelong inspiration. The wild beauty of nature made him decide to study geology, before training in ceramics at Tsukamoto Pottery in Mashiko, a pottery center made famous by Shoji Hamada and the Mingei (folk art) movement.  However, Tadashi Ito sought not to refine the existing Mingei, as Shoji Hamada did, but to renew and innovate. In 1985, Tadashi Ito returned to his native Iwate Prefecture and built a kiln in Tono, a remote area where he could pursue his own artistic vision. It resulted in very original and contemporary works with nevertheless a nostalgic feel. New experiences seem to coincide with old memories from when, as a child, he spent long afternoons hiking in the ubiquitous nature and on the beaches marveling at the complex beauty of the shells, minerals, fossils and other forms of nature he found.  Tadashi Ito is greatly inspired by those graceful curves and intricate lines and the fleeting magical moments of wonder that he was able to experience as a child and still tries to capture in his work. His knowledge of geology helps him achieve what he wants. Ito Tadashi digs his own clay with a high content of feldspar, silica and iron. During firing, the impurities produce shimmering pearly extrusions unique to his work. Other works are finished with a rich reddish-brown color obtained by using an unusual heat-resistant local red clay as a slip. Tadashi Ito is averse to commercial considerations, charting his own course at his own pace and producing highly original works for a limited number of exhibitions. Despite his understated approach, his work has received rave reviews. He has received solo exhibitions and won several awards including the 2008 Award of Excellence from the Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Chikara Museum of Art, in Tokyo. His work is included in the collection of Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, among others.