Sense is the ability to pursue a form that only that person can create.
Makoto Kakizaki uses the free-blowing technique to create highly transparent glass pieces. He is a glass artist who continues to create "things that don't exist yet in the world," such as impressive glass lighting that is like art, and straight wine glasses with a "corner" at the bottom.
The standard that Kakizaki uses to judge whether something is good or bad is whether it is something that only that person can make.
"It's not about showing off. For example, he has researched and honed his skills to create shapes that others have found difficult to create. I feel that sense is in that."
Taro Tabuchi is known as a ceramic artist for his style that evokes landscapes reminiscent of abstract paintings. Having built his own kiln deep in the mountains of Kagawa, Tabuchi has come up with his unique "yohen white porcelain," in which the flames and falling ash from the kiln create changes on the surface of the white porcelain.
"I have an ideal image of the shape or scenery I want to create, and to make it a reality I try to use techniques that no one else has. The pottery made by Uchida Midori of Gifu Prefecture is one of a kind. The finish is so clean that it's hard to believe it was hand-formed, yet it also conveys the soft lines and rounded curves that can only be achieved by hand-forming. These contradictory shapes coexist."
[POTTERY] Taro Tabuchi
A ceramic artist from Kagawa Prefecture who creates objects, vessels, and vases using his own unique style of "kiln-changed white porcelain." "I believe he creates his works by taking advantage of the experience he has accumulated through his stoic approach to pottery and the chance nature of working in a wood-fired kiln. The minimalist square shape, which is rare for a wall-hanging vase, and the scenery created by the wood ash and flames resonate beautifully together."
[CERAMIC] Midori Uchida
He creates vessels and objects using a process called "carbonization firing," in which he fills a sack-shaped vessel with rice husks and fires it in a kiln. The clean shapes are created by hand, not on a potter's wheel. He does not use glazes. "The balance between the organic shapes and pale colors is excellent. The color gradations are created by carbonization firing, as if to attract beautiful coincidences."
He also sympathizes with his approach of sincerely pursuing one thing rather than trying different styles. "Another example is ANTIPOEME, created by woodworker Ryohei Matsumura. He pushes the boundaries of what looks neat and sleek, with single-legged tables and thin-framed chairs, but what's great is that his high level of skill makes them feel completely unsafe."
[FURNITURE] ANTIPOEME
This is a furniture brand by Ryohei Matsumura, who also runs the secondhand bookstore and cafe Hechima Bunko with his friends in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture. Matsumura is a woodworker who honed his skills at Sakura Seisakusho, famous for its furniture by George Nakashima. "The single-legged table, custom-made for a small space, offers convenience, such as not having to worry about hitting your foot on a corner, as well as a solid beauty as an object."
[WINE] Les Frères Souliers
The Souliet brothers started this organic farming domaine in the Gard department in southern France in 2014. On the right is "Les Douces de la Terre" 2019. "When I heard about the thoughts behind the label, I was impressed with their approach to craftsmanship. It tasted so good that it inspired me to start drinking natural wine."
Kakizaki also says he is drawn to things that convey the intention of the winemaker in the background. When he came across the natural wine of France's Les Frères Souliers, he was surprised to see the label featuring a photo of a rag.
"The rag was a cotton underwear that the Soulie brothers, who make the wine, buried in the field and dug up a few months later. It's proof that there are so many microorganisms in our fields, where we haven't used pesticides for decades."
Kakizaki says that in order to acquire this kind of sense, it is important to communicate. By selecting, refining, and expressing what is inside of you, your thoughts and words will also be refined, and your sense will be built.
"Communicating means having your work seen by the world. For me, it means creating new works and holding special exhibitions. Having my work seen by people with a wide range of tastes and sometimes hearing harsh criticism can make you realize things and allow you to create something that doesn't exist in the world."
[ARCHITECTURE] TENK/Tenkyu Kazunori Design Office
Kazunori Amaku is an Okayama-based architect who builds many houses. The illustration shows Kakizaki's home, which doubles as a gallery, after he commissioned him to design it, attracted by his simple style. "He's given the typical gabled roof a cool finish by using clever ingenuity to create a slope and offset the position of the two roof layers. He's also exceptionally good at dividing and connecting rooms. The space looks beautiful no matter where you are."
[FASHION] Graphpaper pack T-shirt
A set of two simple white T-shirts. "They're made on a loopwheel knitting machine, of which there are only a few in Japan. I'm drawn to that background, and I've been buying them for a long time. They don't wrinkle, they're opaque, and there are no side seams, so there's nothing to be concerned about. I wear them to exhibitions, and when they get dirty I wear them outdoors, and then as pajamas... I wear them so much."
[CAR] Nissan Rasheen
This crossover SUV debuted in 1994. "Rasheen" is a coined word derived from the word for compass. "I like the angular shape and the in-between nature of it being neither a sedan, a wagon, nor a pure SUV. The one I drove was beige, but the Doraemon color that was shown in the commercials at the time was the exquisite light blue. I was impressed by the sense of boldly going for an ambiguous color."
[GEAR] Shimano Calcutta Conquest
"I love fishing. When it comes to tools, appearance comes first, and if they're functional, that's even better. The Calcutta Conquest series is a round reel, but it has a clean, edgy shape. This model, released in 2024, is painted black. Up until then, they'd been making standard metallic colors, but suddenly they went with this more subdued color. I was attracted by that contrast."
