Vase c. 1960s

Editor: Here we have a ceramic vase made by Hamada Shoji, sometime in the 1960s. I’m really drawn to its simple, almost primitive design. That looping reddish shape on the dark surface – what do you make of it? Curator: The rough-hewn form speaks volumes, doesn't it? Think about calligraphy, where a single brushstroke can encapsulate an entire feeling. That looping shape could be a stylized character, or perhaps a personal emblem – a kind of visual signature or sigil loaded with meaning. It activates the dark glaze like a memory surfacing from the depths of time. Editor: A memory? That’s interesting. So, it’s not just decoration then? Curator: Rarely is anything *just* decoration! Consider how motifs repeat across cultures, evolving over centuries, carrying emotional and cultural resonance. Does that spiral evoke any particular feeling for you? Does it suggest movement, containment, or something else entirely? Editor: I see what you mean... It's got this sense of swirling energy. It’s grounded at the bottom, then unfurls, reaching outwards, but somehow, the loop pulls the energy back in. Curator: Exactly! The grounding balances the upward surge, hinting at both expansion and the cyclical nature of existence. How might our understanding shift if that loop were broken, or pointed downward instead? Editor: That would make it feel really different - maybe more aggressive or sad? I guess it shows how much thought went into that one, seemingly simple design. Curator: Indeed. Symbols are never static. The power of an image resides in its ability to evolve, reflecting our ever-changing relationship to the world and ourselves. Looking at the vase this way shows how its images encapsulate more complex stories, too. Editor: That’s such a different perspective from what I was thinking! Thanks!