It is with great pleasure that we see exhibitions being held across various locations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Uichi Shimizu's birth. In conjunction with these events, we are proud to announce the launch of the Shimizu family website.
We are deeply grateful for the remarkable connections that have naturally unfolded—spanning from our grandfather’s generation to the present day, across Kyoto, Sendai, Tokyo, and London—blessing us with numerous exhibition opportunities.
While organising the old documents and photo albums for these exhibitions, we made several new discoveries and found much to learn. One such discovery was the signboard from when our grandfather first established his studio in Horai, which read "Shimizu Pottery Kenkyujo (Laboratory)"(清水陶芸研究所). Although we had previously seen the sign for the "Horai Kiln" (蓬莱窯), it appears the studio originally had a different name. Dating back to around 1970, this story powerfully conveys our grandfather's dedication to his pottery practice—foraging for wild clay and stones, and relentlessly conducting firing tests. This resonates deeply with the aspirations of our current generation, as we continue to live and create pottery on the land Uichi left behind.
By introducing and exploring the works of Uichi, Yasutaka, and Shiro Shimizu in depth, we hope this website will serve as a guiding light for our path forward.