Jade Celadon Plate 2011

Editor: Right now, we’re looking at “Jade Celadon Plate” made in 2011 by Imaizumi Takeshi, part of the Asian Art collection here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's made from ceramic and earthenware and has a tranquil, almost meditative feel. I’m really drawn to the intricate crackle pattern of the glaze. What's your read on this artwork? Curator: Ah, yes, this piece. To me, it whispers of ancient landscapes seen through misted glass. Imaizumi’s celadon isn’t just pottery; it's poetry rendered in earth. The cracks, known as "craquelure," weren't accidental; they were coaxed into existence. They remind me of dried riverbeds reflecting an arid landscape. Does this imagery spark anything for you? Editor: That’s beautifully put. I hadn’t thought of them as purposeful but now it seems obvious. I'm so used to perfect surfaces that these intentional imperfections make me see beauty in flaws. I almost feel invited to run my fingers across it and see what happened in its firing. Curator: Exactly! It’s that dance between control and chance. It embodies the Wabi-sabi aesthetic where imperfection and impermanence are celebrated. It also asks us, doesn’t it, to ponder the delicate balance between nature and human intervention, and the legacy of celadon traditions in a contemporary voice? What if we zoom into those fine lines and travel through the history it brings, together? Editor: I'm fascinated. It started as what looked to me like a simple, albeit lovely bowl, but now has revealed an enormous amount of detail about history and culture and an active discussion between accident and skill. Thanks for showing me the depth here! Curator: And thank you for opening your perception to that possibility. It’s in that shared seeing that art truly comes alive!