Yakimono – literally translated as ‘fired things’ – will explore the impact of Japan, and the relationship of Japanese and British ceramics through the Modern period, up to the present. The exhibition explores over a century of cultural exchange between British and Japanese traditions and considers this relationship based on knowledge-sharing and mutual respect between each country.

From the influence of early pioneers such as Bernard Leach to contemporary artists working across both contexts, the exhibition traces how Japanese philosophies of ‘making’ reshaped modern ceramics in Britain and continue to inform practice today. Regarding clay as a legitimate medium for fine art is a relatively recent development in the history of Western art; yet, in Japan, potters have been venerated for centuries. Just like Albrecht Dürer visiting Italy for the first time and experiencing the esteem in which his fellow painters were held, when artists such as Bernard Leach travelled to Japan, they brought back not only the skills of the masters, but also their elevated sense of place in the hierarchy of art. In 1920 when Bernard Leach (1987-1979) and Shoji Hamada (1894-1978), two of the most important potters of the entire Modern period, moved from Japan to Britain and set up a pottery in Cornwall, they began to promote a new aesthetic and philosophy of what ceramic could be. The impact of their studies transformed studio ceramics in the West and shaped the contemporary scene as we know it today.

This exhibition at Messums West is a celebration of Anglo-Japanese cultural exchange in clay, telling the story of the dialogue between British and Japanese ceramicists from Christopher Dresser (1834-1904), Bernard Leach (1987-1979) and Lucie Rie (1902-1995), through the 20th century, to contemporary figures trained in the Japanese tradition, such as Sam Chatto. Many of the pieces on show are for sale and the exhibition includes new work created especially for the show.