Noriyasu Tsuchiya (1945 - )
My first encounter with Tsuchiya’s work was at a porcelain collector’s home. The collector’s interests mainly lied in older and thinner porcelain, which resulted in a large collection of Meisen, Imari and Nabeshima. Among such delicate works were a number of rather thick and heavy stoneware by Tsuchiya, which took me by surprise. However, I quickly understood why the collector was a fan of Tsuchiya’s work. His works possess a refined elegance, with powerful physical foundations, while at the same time, maintain a comforting warmth. It is almost as if Tsuchiya’s stoneware were formed into shape naturally, without any conscious artistic decisions: they exhibit honesty and purity.I then went to meet with Tsuchiya at his home and studio, which is surrounded by nature. The sounds of the ocean, the stillness of the mountain, and the gentle rustling of the leaves all seemed to inspire Tsuchiya’s natural forms and colours of his stoneware. The inside of his home is decorated with artefacts from all over the world, each item possessing a rich history. However, Tsuchiya’s interests did not end merely with historical artefacts; he was also very knowledgable in literature, history and philosophy and knows many friends in those fields. His friendships with people working in different disciplines, along with the physical environment of nature that he has immersed himself in are the reasons that he is able to continue growing as an individual.