Shoji Hamada

Shoji Hamada, born in Japan in 1894, was an internationally recognized ceramicist. He visited BMC in October 1952 to give a seminar for a ten-day session on pottery along with several of the world’s most recognized potters of the time. These potters included Dr. Soetsu Yanagi, Marguerite Wildenhain, and Bernard Leach. Hamada followed Dr. Soetsu Yanagi’s Mingei theory, stating that ordinary, handcrafted objects made for the pure purpose of function are the most beautiful. This theory also highlighted the importance of anonymity in the craft person as a way to combat ego and desire for fame that convoluted the purity of the object. Shoji therefore decided to not mark most of his pottery. In 1955, Hamada was certified as a “Living National Treasure” for his work with clay. He died in 1978, leaving behind a legacy crucial to the design and evolution of clay techniques across the globe.