CLAY · TSUCHI
CLAY · TSUCHI
Japanese & Canadian Ceramics
Curated by LeftCoast Artefacts
2024.11.22 - 12.01
at Enishi Space
Japanese & Canadian Ceramics
Curated by LeftCoast Artefacts
2024.11.22 - 12.01
at Enishi Space
ITSUMO is pleased to announce a special exhibition by LeftCoast Artefacts.
“Clay · Tsuchi” is the first opportunity to view the remarkable Japanese & Canadian ceramics collected by private dealer Nathan Tichenor (Vancouver, BC), aka, LeftCoast Artefacts.
Specializing in Japanese and Canadian ceramics, as well as Korean pottery, LeftCoast Artefacts holds unique and beautiful pieces made mostly from the 1960’s until now by award-winning and museum-collected potter-artists at the top of their game.
What we find so inspiring with Tichenor is the story of how his collecting began, especially with his focused value of his home region’s artist’s work and his efforts to seek out the narrative and history through the work that has been produced here on the West Coast of BC.
“Growing up on Vancouver Island in the 1980’s we were surrounded by remnants of hippie culture. Much like California, British Columbia was a counter-culture hotbed in the 1960’s. Flower children, draft dodgers, anyone “anti-establishment” began to define the fabric of life, especially in rural areas. This seemed to be an authentic outgrowth of this specific place: from the 60’s anti-war and anti-capitalist protests through to the no-nukes movement of the 1980’s. Nature-loving peaceniks became synonymous with West Coast culture. And pottery exemplified this back-to-the-land ethos.
I began to look at the pots made in BC from the 60’s onwards in a new light. Not only as cultural products of a time and place integral to our region’s DNA.”
- Nathan Tichenor
I began to look at the pots made in BC from the 60’s onwards in a new light. Not only as cultural products of a time and place integral to our region’s DNA.”
- Nathan Tichenor
Tichenor has cited the 2004 show at the University of British Columbia’s Belkin Gallery “Thrown: Influences and Intentions of West Coast Ceramics” as an important, coherent and intelligent mapping and discussion of BC’s potting history and aesthetics. While learning a history and lineage for BC’s 1960’s ceramics practice, Tichenor explored the BC potters and their roots in the Bernard Leach / Shoji Hamada Mingei practice and aesthetic, which dove-tailed nicely with his grounding in Asian art history and intetest in Japan.
Following the potters working in the Mingei vein, we discover work which show the maker’s hand, made from local materials, deliver an infinite beauty. Over history and tradition, clay, earth and lifestyles, we hope you enjoy a quiet journey into the spirtual connection of craftsmanship cultivated between Japan and Canada.
Following the potters working in the Mingei vein, we discover work which show the maker’s hand, made from local materials, deliver an infinite beauty. Over history and tradition, clay, earth and lifestyles, we hope you enjoy a quiet journey into the spirtual connection of craftsmanship cultivated between Japan and Canada.
about Nathan Tichenor (LeftCoast Artefacts)
After years of collecting art and photography, Nathan Tichenor eventually returned to his love of British Columbia’s studio pottery of the 70’s and 80’s.
Tichenor began seriously collecting ceramics from the British Columbia region about a decade ago, which inevitably led him to the influential studio pottery movements of 20th century England and post-war Japan. The dual forces of Japan and England were uniquely combined by British Columbia’s studio potters, giving way to the “back to the land” movement of the 1960’s. The urge to make functional yet beautiful objects - formed with clay, forged by fire - has been shared by British Columbia’s studio potters for more than 60 years.
With the launch of LeftCoast Artefacts in 2021, Tichenor began to privately deal in studio ceramics, with an emphasis on pottery from Japan and British Columbia. He continues to collect pieces made mostly from the 1960’s until now by award-winning and museum-collected potter-artists at the top of their game.
After years of collecting art and photography, Nathan Tichenor eventually returned to his love of British Columbia’s studio pottery of the 70’s and 80’s.
Tichenor began seriously collecting ceramics from the British Columbia region about a decade ago, which inevitably led him to the influential studio pottery movements of 20th century England and post-war Japan. The dual forces of Japan and England were uniquely combined by British Columbia’s studio potters, giving way to the “back to the land” movement of the 1960’s. The urge to make functional yet beautiful objects - formed with clay, forged by fire - has been shared by British Columbia’s studio potters for more than 60 years.
With the launch of LeftCoast Artefacts in 2021, Tichenor began to privately deal in studio ceramics, with an emphasis on pottery from Japan and British Columbia. He continues to collect pieces made mostly from the 1960’s until now by award-winning and museum-collected potter-artists at the top of their game.
❍ ❍ ❍
Save the Date
Opening Night
Thursday, Nov 22, 2024, 6pm -8pm
Please join us for the opening reception of LeftCoast Artefacts’ first display and offering of new and vintage ceramics from Japan, British Columbia, and elsewhere:
[Opening Reception]
Thursday, November 21, 6 — 8pm
at Enishi Space
269 East 6th Avenue
RSVP to ntichenor@gmail.com
*The sale will continue from Friday, November 22 — Sunday, December 1.
Looking forward to seeing you all there,
ITSUMO
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