Hospital for Broken Pots (ongoing)
As part of my MFA thesis show (The Stinting Machine) I started playing around with ideas about breakage and mending, both technical and conceptual. I have continued off and on since then to work with ceramic repair processes, even as kintsugi (Japanese golden seam repairs) seems to have become a popular -- and perhaps overused -- metaphor.
As part of my investigation into ceramic mending, I have started the practice of collecting stories about broken pottery that I repair and return to the owner, or preferably work with them to repair the piece and talk about its significance. I will share some of these mended pots and stories on this page. Contact me at bradmenninga@yahoo.com if you are interested in participating in this project.
Tea Bowl made by Kobayashi Hiroyuki, owned by Richard Rowland
Richard Rowland is my good friend and mentor. He and his wife Patti live outside of Astoria, Oregon, where they tend the fire of the Astoria Dragon Kiln and have nurtured many artists and potters over the years.
Richard picked up this tea bowl while visiting other wood-fire potters in Japan. He visited the studio and kiln of Kobayashi Hiroyuki in Shigarak in 2010. Richard wrote about the visit: "Kobayashi fed us. His wife was lovely and he let me help fire his wood kiln for a little bit-then he took me upstairs in his house to let me pick out a small piece as a gift and I picked that one. He was maybe surprised I think, that I selected the humble beautiful cup." Unfortunately, the tea bowl was broken in Richard's luggage during the trip home, so he hasn't had the opportunity to live with this piece. He was generous to entrust me with the repair.
Like all worthwhile objects, this repaired tea bowl is layered with memory: of the kindness of the studio visit in Japan, the disappointment of opening the suitcase and seeing shards, and now also the memory of our discussion over breakfast about repairing broken pots.