Tetsuaki Nakao and the Galaxy Glaze

7 to 12 July 2008

Tetsuaki Nakao; the artist at work
Tetsuaki Nakao; the artist at work

Memory of the Orient; glazed ceramic (20cm x 38cm)

Tea Ceremony Cup; glazed ceramic
Tea Ceremony Cup (Hiragata); glazed ceramic (15.2cm x 5.7cm)

Artist(s): Tetsuaki Nakao

Location: Chelsea Gallery, Chelsea Old Town Hall, King's Road, SW3.

Cost: Free to enter.

Time: The gallery is part of the Chelsea Library. Please see Library opening hours.

Tetsuaki Nakao was born in Japan in 1952 into a family of potters. His first interest was philosophy, and he initially intended to devote his life to scholarship; however, when he discovered a gap between his ideals and the reality of life as an academic, he left university and decided to follow the family tradition of pottery.

The inspiration for the Galaxy Glaze first came to Nakao twenty-two years ago, during a difficult period of his life. At the time he was suffering from a condition called retinal detachment, which left him completely blind for almost a year. "Then one day", Nakao reminisces, “there came to my mind an image of stars strewn across the night sky, of the Milky Way glittering in the heavens. Strangely enough, I felt as though I was being saved by these stars.” It was then that Nakao decided to attempt to recreate his vision through his pottery; he hoped that the vision would offer comfort to others, just as it did to him.

As his eyesight gradually recovered, Nakao began his research, reading texts on the history and science of pottery from all over the world. After over five years of extensive study and tenacious experimentation with different techniques, temperatures and materials, he finally succeeded in developing a glaze with the effect and colours that he wanted to produce.

The characteristic pattern of the Galaxy Glaze is produced by particles of various metal elements in the mixture of the glaze, which crystallise under the extreme heat of the kiln. Each of the five colours requires a separate kiln (designed by Nakao himself) heated to a different temperature. It is this very precise procedure, arrived at after years of trial and error, which creates the distinctive effect of the glaze.

Today, Nakao has an impressive list of international art awards to his name. His work beautifully marries art with science, practicality with aesthetics: there is no compromise in his pottery. The same meticulous care goes into every piece, and every piece is personal, since it is a product of Nakao’s own philosophy and life experience.

A firm believer in the power of art to heal, Nakao hopes that his art will provide a little relief from the turbulence of today’s society. His two mottos are ‘love’ and ‘freedom’, and it is his most sincere desire to create art that transcends the boundaries of race, of religion and of nationality.

For more information about the artist and his work see: www.japanesecontemporaryceramics.com