Ryuji Iwasaki – New Works Arrival
New flower vessels by contemporary ceramic artist Ryuji Iwasaki have arrived at Rurbanism.
Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1980, Iwasaki studied at Osaka College of Art and Design and now maintains an atelier in Tondabayashi City, Osaka. Driven by an insatiable curiosity for color, he has refined an original technique known as “Kannanagashi” (ring-flow), unique to his practice.
By letting circular layers of glaze flow and overlap, he creates surfaces that hold depth, tonal variation, and subtle wavering movement. Delicate glaze gradations, dignified blue-grey, and a fresh ice green.
These sophisticated color atmospheres have been highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad.
This distinctive surface is created through an extremely delicate process: after applying a white glaze to a semi-porcelain clay body, copper oxide and chromium oxide are sprayed in an exceptionally fine mist. Using an electric kiln with precise temperature control, he produces each work while meticulously steering glaze crystallization and kiln-induced color changes.
Though porcelain, the work carries a softly moist texture and a sense of warmth—one of the unique charms of Iwasaki’s practice.
The works in this arrival are semi-porcelain flower vessels created at Rurbanism’s request.
In this selection, two glazes are used: “Hi (杼)” and Blue Grey—both among Iwasaki’s most representative series in recent years. “Hi” is a relatively new series within his body of work.
Unlike the bright, vivid red (hiiro) often associated with the word, it is characterized by colors that hold complex nuances—deep reddish-browns and oranges, or tones reminiscent of an evening sky. As with his other series (such as Ice Green and Murasagiku), the gradation that captures the fleeting moment when glaze melts and flows appears on the surface with a quiet sense of tension.
The name “Hi” carries echoes of traditional imagery—such as tools used in looms and the resonance of Japan’s historic “hiiro” red—yet is ultimately elevated into Iwasaki’s own contemporary vision of color.
The colors of time as it shifts from night into morning—or into dusk.
It holds a somewhat melancholic presence, as if a fleeting instant of light and shadow were sealed within.
With exceptionally beautiful forms and a resolute presence, these flower vessels bring a serene beauty to a space, quietly making visible what Rurbanism cherishes: “living with beautiful forms in everyday life.”