Into the World of Music

Hanada: Your father is also a ceramic artist.

Taichi Abe : My father trained under Kenji Funaki and later became independent in our hometown of Shimane. I remember playing with clay in his workshop as a child, but I never thought of it as my future profession. I intended to pursue music instead. After graduating from high school, I attended a music vocational school in Tokyo, and later my band at the time was signed to an agency.

Hanada: That’s impressive—to be signed to an agency.

Taichi Abe : There was a very talented member in the band I was part of. It wasn’t because of me. There are many people who get that far. What’s difficult is being widely recognized afterward and continuing your activities.

Hanada: What kind of music were you playing?

Taichi Abe : It was British rock, which was quite popular at the time. Oasis, Radiohead, and so on.

From Music to Ceramics

Hanada: After your band activities, you moved into ceramics.

Taichi Abe : I started thinking about it in my late twenties. No matter the field, I want to express my own sensibility, so it felt like music was simply replaced by ceramics.

Hanada: So it’s just the medium that changed, not what you want to express.

Taichi Abe : Exactly. Around that time, the world of craft was also changing and becoming more open. At the same time, having watched my father’s work closely, I understood how difficult it is. You may gain attention temporarily, but continuing to create solid work while refining your technique and sensibility is by no means easy.

Hanada: That’s something you can truly feel having seen it up close.

The Meaning of “Good”

Hanada: And then you began your apprenticeship under your father.

Taichi Abe : While learning techniques from my father, I also studied the history and theory of ceramics in museums and libraries. I tried to see as many so-called “masterpieces” as possible, not just the things I was personally interested in. I think I wanted to understand what “good” really means. But what I realized was that what I wanted to do and what has been historically valued were completely out of alignment… (laughs).

Hanada: How did those historically valued works appear to you?

Taichi Abe : I could understand them—the presence, the firing… I could see how remarkable they were. But I felt they weren’t something that came from within me. That applied not only to older works but also to the works of leading ceramic artists at the time. Highly regarded pieces carry a corresponding energy.
But that energy belongs to the maker themselves. No matter how skillfully you imitate such works, unless it comes from within you, it doesn’t feel like something you’ve truly created. At the time, it felt more like, “I should at least see these.” Then, after nine years, I became independent.

From Within Painting

Hanada: Many of your current works evoke a European atmosphere.

Taichi Abe : It’s not something I consciously aim for, but I’ve always liked Western painting and music, so that influence may come through.

Hanada: I see you also have a book of Coutelas in your studio.

Taichi Abe : My great-uncle was a painter, and when I started studying ceramics, he shared many insights with me. This studio was actually his atelier. I love Coutelas and Morandi. I really enjoyed experimenting with how I might recreate ceramics depicted in paintings.

Hanada: So your starting point was within painting.

Taichi Abe : I do refer to antiques when shaping my work, but that wasn’t the original starting point. As for the practical making of tableware, it’s based on the techniques and knowledge I learned from my father, who worked as a craftsman.

Voices and Laughter Echoing in Quiet Stone Towns

Hanada: Do you travel to Europe often?

Taichi Abe : Three years ago, I went to Italy to study religious art. I wanted to experience the atmosphere of the country, the people who live there, the churches and their furnishings—not just as a tourist, but by staying there.

Hanada: Which areas did you visit?

Taichi Abe : Based in Florence, I visited historic towns such as Assisi, Arezzo, Lucca, Cortona, Orvieto, and Siena.

Hanada: In any country, those regional towns often preserve the character better than central cities.

Taichi Abe : When you go to places like the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, there are many famous artworks. Many were created under political power to demonstrate the nation’s strength, often with religion as a backdrop, and their scale and quality are extraordinary.
There’s also an overwhelming sense of “look at this.” It’s fine for a quick visit as a tourist, but it was a bit different from what I was seeking. When you move away slightly to towns with old castles, the traditional stone streets are beautifully preserved, and the churches are modest. You can really feel them as places of prayer for the people who live there.
You can imagine people calming their minds there before returning to daily life. In reality, the hymns sung by nuns and the laughter of children overlap within these quiet stone towns, and I find that overall atmosphere very compelling.

Hanada: So you were able to feel the atmosphere you had imagined from paintings.

Taichi Abe : I think I was able to sense the gentle quality of light depicted by artists like Morandi.

Understanding Yourself More Deeply

Hanada: What is important to you in your work?

Taichi Abe : Making things with my own hands.　After returning from Italy, I kept thinking about what it means to create something that comes from my own hands.　I used to be asked what genre I belonged to.　“Is it folk craft, tea ceramics, or lifestyle craft—where do you fit?”　But isn’t it difficult to answer that yourself?　I don’t start by deciding a genre.
When I begin from my own sensibility, it makes the act of creating very positive and freeing.　That’s why I make both sculptural pieces and tableware.　For me, “making with my own hands” includes all of that.

Hanada: In the past, systems—including education—often functioned by fitting individuals into predefined frameworks.　Now, it seems more aligned with the times to refine what emerges from the individual.

Taichi Abe : Values have diversified, and people overseas are also interested. Recently, I’ve felt that categorizing into genres narrows one’s possibilities and isn’t very interesting.

Hanada: Today, if you choose to, it’s easier to act freely.

Taichi Abe : Even the way we listen to music has shifted to streaming. People in their twenties can say an old song is great, and we can appreciate music made by someone in their twenties. Letting go of distinctions like old versus new, trends, or what sells, and simply asking yourself whether you like something or not is very important. Whether it’s clothing or music, that process helps you understand yourself more deeply and refine your intuition.

Good Food and Meeting People

Hanada: Each of those experiences influences your making as well.

Taichi Abe : The process of creation is a series of decisions, all aiming toward making something good in the end. What matters is how accurately and confidently you can make those decisions. Which clay to use, when to stop the wheel… in daily life, there are times when mental instability can cloud judgment.

Taichi Abe : It’s like buying clothes you don’t even really want. While navigating such moments, refining your internal axis is fundamental to creating good work, and I think that process itself is enjoyable. Life experience is essential—listening to good music, eating good food, meeting people—and each of these connects to the act of making.

Looking Ahead

Hanada: What would you like to pursue going forward?

Taichi Abe : I want to continue pursuing what only I can do. Recently, I’ve also been thinking about trying DJing, and I’ve started gradually buying records of music I’ve listened to over the years. It’s not ceramics, but it’s something I’d like to explore (laughs).

Hanada: I’m looking forward to it. Let me know when you DJ. And best of luck with the exhibition.

Taichi Abe : Thank you very much.

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