The celebrated ceramic artist Kitaōji Rosanjin famously described tableware as “cuisine’s kimono.” Like clothing, utsuwa (the Japanese word for vessels) frames and complements what it holds, enhancing the food without competing with it. A vessel’s color, shape, texture, and decoration can make a dish appear more vibrant, delicate, or inviting. And because many Japanese dishes are served in portions small enough to hold, the experience is especially intimate: diners engage with the vessel as well as the food, bringing both close to the body.
Celebrating the art of functional ceramics by celebrated contemporary Japanese artists, our forthcoming exhibition “The Art of Living” is presented in three parts: The first explores everyday dining through tea cups, platters, bowls, and modern style Japanese tableware. The second turns to kaiseki and the art of the seasonal table. The third enters the tea room, where tea bowls, water jars, and flower vases shape the setting for chanoyu. Together, these three parts reveal how Japanese ceramics bring beauty, meaning, and seasonal tastes to the art of living.
