Weaving Contexts of Antique Art | ROCANIIRU Short Essays
ROCANIIRU has long been exploring the relationship between tea, nature, and antiques. Thankfully, I feel that more and more people resonate with this personal and small-scale endeavor each year.
From time to time, I find myself deep in conversation with passionate customers about tea or antique art. In those moments, I’m often reminded of how I’ve been looking at these things through my own lens.
Old objects hold stories that transcend their mere forms. What backgrounds do they carry? Through which eras have they traveled? Whose hands have touched them? When I touch or use antiques, their stories seem to continue into the present, and a single vessel, a piece of cloth, or a shard of stone suddenly reveals an unexpected beauty. It’s not merely about sharing knowledge—it’s moments I’ve repeatedly experienced through tea, each one an irreplaceable encounter.
At ROCANIIRU, I’ve started writing short essays under the concept of “Weaving Contexts of Antique Art.” It may be a personal and perhaps biased perspective, but I hope you’ll enjoy it for a brief moment.
Weaving Contexts of Antique Art | ROCANIIRU Short Essays
Joseon Dynasty
The artifacts of the Joseon Dynasty, which embrace irregularities and emptiness, are crystallizations of a spirit that existed five centuries ago. I explored how the inner state of mind found expression in their forms.
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Jōmon Pottery
I traced the ties between nature and humanity, the flicker of flames, and the memories held in clay. The explosive creativity seen in Jōmon pottery—with cord marks, spirals, bands, and flame shapes—might be called a form of primordial luxury.
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Yayoi Pottery
A turbulent time when cultures mingled across the seas. Yayoi pottery emerged alongside the rise of rice cultivation, inventing new forms for daily life. It could be called the oldest form of practical art.
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White Delft
A smooth white, like yogurt, created as a canvas for painted designs. I’ve re-edited an essay originally written during a trip to the Netherlands.
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