All About Japan

Empty Vessels Full of Meaning

Art Pottery

If you’ve ever been to a traditional Japanese inn, you may have encountered the very same thing witnessed by designer and artist Norihiko Terayama: empty vessels and pots that are on display, without serving their intended purpose. What does it mean when the only thing asked of a flower pot is to sit quietly and exude presence?

http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2018/05/08/norihiko-terayama-dissects-the-meaning-of-the-vessel/

For Terayama, it meant that the function of the vessel’s shape and form had taken a back seat. What was more important was that it was simply there. This epiphany lead Terayama on an investigative design process to explore what happens to a vessel when it is wrapped with the form or decoration, elements that now outperform the function of the vessel's original role.

For more information on the process behind Terayama's evocative work, as well as information on his current exhibition and where to buy a piece for yourself, read the full story at Spoon & Tamago via the link below.