The myriad copies of his forms not only attest to Hamada's influence but also emphasise just what a master of proportion he was for there is a balance in his work and a harmony of form and decoration that sets his work apart.
Hamada Shoji was a famed potter who was among the first four potters in Japan to be designated Living National Treasures in 1955. He was designated for the preservation of mingei ceramics. Hamada needs little introduction as he, and Kawai Kanjiro, became the prime exponents of the mingei tradition that has been both popular and influential inside and outside Japan. Indeed, it is hard to look at post-1945 ceramics without seeing the influence they exerted. Nonetheless Hamada's work remains significant and he is the true master of form and decoration. The myriad copies of his forms not only attest to his influence but also emphasise just what a master of proportion he was for there is a balance in his work and a harmony of form and decoration that sets his work apart.
Today, Hamada Shoji is recognized as one of the most important figures in the history of Japanese ceramics. His work is widely admired for its beauty, simplicity, and respect for traditional forms. For his contribution to the international pottery scene, he was awarded the title of a Living National Treasure. Hamada's legacy continues to inspire potters and craftsmen around the world.
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Art Institute of Chicago
Brooklyn Museum
Dallas Museum of Art
Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Saint Louise Art Museum
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Yale University Art Gallery
Museum of Fine Art, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Victoria and Albert Museum, UK
Tate Museum, UK
Bristol Museum, UK
Auckland Museum, New Zealand
National Gallery of Australia
Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Australia
Japan Foundation, Tokyo
The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo
The National Museum of Art, Osaka
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
BIOGRAPHY
1894 Born in Tokyo
1913 Studied at the Tokyo Technical College with Hazan Itaya (1872-1963). Came to know Kanjiro Kawai (1890-1966)
1912 Saw and attracted to Raku ware by Kenkichi Tomimoto (1886-1963) and Bernard Leach (1887-1979) at Mikasa Gallery, Ginza Tokyo
1914 Became interested in Mashiko pottery after seeing a teapot at Itaya Hazan’s home
1916 Graduated from Tokyo Technical College and enrolled at Kyoto Ceramics Research, Came to know Kenkichi Tomimoto
Traveled with Kawai and visited to kilns in Okinawa and Kyushu
Began 10,000 glaze experiments with Kawai
1918 Visited Okinawa with Kawai for the first time
1919 Visited Barnard Leach in Abiko and met Muneyoshi Yanagi (1889-1961) Traveled to Korea and Manchuria, China with Kawai
1920 Visited Mashiko for the first time. Traveled to England with Leach and help building a climbing kiln (Nobori-gama) at St. Ives. Create pieces at Leach’s place
1923 First solo exhibition, Parterson Gallery, London.
1924 Traveled to France, Italy, Crete and Egypt. Introduced Kawai and Yanagi. Move to Mashiko, and married. Worked with slipware with Kawai. Visited Okinawa with his wife and produced his works at Tsuboya workshop
1925 First solo exhibition in Japan, Kyukyodo, Tokyo
Visited northern archeological sites with Kawai and Yanagi
1927 Solo exhibitions in Osaka and Kyukyodo, Tokyo. Traveled to Kyushu with Yanagi and Kawai to research on crafts
1928 Solo exhibition, Kyukyoso, Tokyo
1929 Exhibitions, Peterson Gallery in London
1930 Participated in the England-Japan Contemporary Crafts Exhibition with Kawai and Tomimoto. Moved to a farmhouse from nearby village and rebuilt it as his own home in Mashiko. Traveled with Yanagu and Kawai to Seto area for a research
1931 Started a magazine “Kogei” with Yanagi and Kawai. Built 3-chamber Nobori-gama kiln in Mashiko. Solo exhibitions at Peterson Gallery, London, Mitsu Osaka
1933 Traveled to kiln sites in Kyushu with Kawai and Yanagi
1936-43 Traveled throughout Korea, North China and Okinawa
Collected old and new folk art, 3 artist exhibition with Kawai and Tomimoto, Kyukyodo, Tokyo
1949 Tochigi Prefecture Culture Award
1952 Traveled with Yanagi and Leach throughout Europe and the U.S. to give lectures and demonstrations
1953 Exhibition with Kawai and Leach, Osaka. Minister of Education Award for Art
1954 Three-artist Exhibition with Kawai and Leach, Daimaru Department Store, Kobe. Four-artist Exhibition with Kawai, Leach and Tomimoto, Takashimaya, Tokyo.
1955 Designated as the first Living National Treasure
1956 The 30th Anniversary Exhibition, Hokkaido and Utsunomiya. Exhibition with Kawai, Matsuzakaya Department Store, Nagoya. Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department, Tokyo.
1957 Solo exhibitions, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Osaka and Tokyo.
1958 Solo exhibitions, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Osaka and Tokyo.
1959 Traveled to Okinawa to make pieces. Exhibition with a Mingei textile artist, Keisuke Serizawa, Hokkaido. Exhibition with Yanagi. Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Tokyo.
1960Exhibition with Yanagi and Kawai, Hokkaido. Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Tokyo.
1961 Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, and “Shoji Hamada Collected Works” was published by Asahi Shimbun Newspaper edited by Yanagi. Two-artist exhibition with Leach, Dai maru Department.
1962 Appointed Director of the Japanese Folk Art.
1963 With second son, Shinsaku, held workshops and exhbitions throughout the U.S. Visited Mexico and Spain.
1965 Invited to New Zealand and Australia with third son, Atsuya.
1967 Invited to the 50th Anniversary of Michigan University and received honorary LLD degree and exhibited works.
1968 Solo exhibition in Denmark. Visited Leach in St. Ives with his wife and a daughter, Hisako. Okinawa Times Award. Order of Purple from Emperor
1969 Visited Hong Kong and met Leach. Traveled to Okinawa. Became an Honorary Citizen of Mashiko.
1970Appointed to the director of Japan Mingei Museum in Osaka World Expo. Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Osaka and Tokyo.
1971Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Osaka and Tokyo.
1972Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Osaka and Tokyo.
1973Received Honorary Degree from London Royal Art College. Traveled to Wajima with Leach. Traveled to Scotland.
1974 Appointed to the director of Japan Mingei Craft Association. Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Osaka. Hospitalized. Exhibition “Shoji Hamada: Eyes and Hands” at Tochigi Prefectural Museum.
1975 Exhibition “Shoji Hamada: Eyes and Hands” at Hanshin Department Store in Osaka, Temmaya in Okayama. Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Tokyo.
1976 Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Tokyo.
1977 Exhibition “Shoji Hamada” at Tokyo National Modern Museum. Mashiko Reference Center is opened.
1978 Passed away in Mashiko, Japan.