U-Turn Ushiro
March 30 SAT - April 21 SUN, 2024
We're thrilled to present the solo exhibition of ceramic artist
U-Turn Ushiro, who produces work with a wood-fired kiln in Mashiko, one of Japan's leading pottery production areas.
Before devoting himself to clay and fire, he was engaged in a profession centered around saving lives. After years of tending to those in need, he chose to embark on a new path - One that converses with the silent earth.
Ushiro claims he is kept alive through his work.
While the soil, existing eons before humanity, continually shifts in shape and form, Ushiro’s connection with it stems from imbuing it with love.
As he surrenders himself to the intense heat of the kiln, what does he see beyond the dazzling orange light?
The title of this exhibition is "Fermentation Bed", known in Japanese as Nuka-doko, an ancient fermentation technique used in Japan.
When saltwater and vegetable scraps are mixed into rice bran, bacterias develop, and vegetables immersed in it transform into pickles that are rich in lactic acid bacteria and nutrients. A Nuka-doko can be used across generations for over 100 years by diligently stirring and adding ingredients. Through kneading and fermenting harvested soil, clay used in pottery similarly allows bacteria to multiply, lending the soil its adhesive quality.
Without being bound by theories or rules, U-Turn Ushiro blends various types of harvested soil to create his work. This mixing and blending extends beyond pottery, into earnestly accepting and nurturing the other. Through an offering of oneself, a symbiosis with nature and a confrontation with fire begins. This process seems emblematic of the interconnectedness between all things, beings and ourselves, and it serves as an opportunity to feel gratitude for being alive, and channel energy towards experiencing the full vibrancy of life.
Vessels were originally created to receive the daily bounty of the land, and have always had an intimate relationship with our bodies. In contemporary times, this intimacy has taken new and various forms, making vessels a provider of comfort that goes beyond its utilitarian function.
One could say that Ushiro’s works, fueled by the power of life, will continue to ferment and nourish us from the moment we hold them in our hands and beyond.
[Reception Detail]
Date: Friday, March 29th
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: CIBONE 50 Norman Ave. Brooklyn, New York 11222
[Live Dance Performance Detail]
Date: Saturday, March 30th
Time: 3:00 pm -
Location: CIBONE 50 Norman Ave. Brooklyn, New York 11222
U-Turn Ushiro
While working for the fire department as a rescue team member, Ushiro encountered ceramics and soon began making his own pottery.
In 2021, he built his own all-underground anagama (hole kiln) in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture.
Using clay and stones dug in the mountains, he fires his vessels over a wood fire.
Focusing on the light and sound of something burning, and the way it melts and crumbles, Ushiro's creative activities center on the production of ceramic works.
While working for the fire department as a rescue team member, Ushiro encountered ceramics and soon began making his own pottery.
In 2021, he built his own all-underground anagama (hole kiln) in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture.
Using clay and stones dug in the mountains, he fires his vessels over a wood fire.
Focusing on the light and sound of something burning, and the way it melts and crumbles, Ushiro's creative activities center on the production of ceramic works.