The Kichizaemon X series of exhibitions are explorative ventures in which ceramics by Raku Jikinyū (formerly Raku Kichizaemon XV) are shown alongside works that have moved and left a strong impression on him. The ‘X’ stands for the ‘variable’ engendered by the interaction between the two.
In this 12th Kichizaemon X exhibition, Jikinyū’s work is partnered with that of the Russian avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich (1879-1935), founder of Suprematism and champion of non-objective art.
Malevich proposed that the purpose of art was not to concern itself with the representation of the outward appearance of things but to seek out their true essence. He believed that the highest order of creative art depended on the exercising of pure feeling and perception. His influence on the development of 20th century abstract and minimalistic art cannot be understated. The recent tea bowls of Jikinyū resonate closely with the principles of Suprematism in the sense that concerns with shape and colour have been increasingly rejected in a search for ultimate expressivity.
The juxtaposition of Malevich’s drawings with Jikinyūs newly made white tea bowls is an attempt to draw out the deep spirituality they both share.
