Ceramic Canvases ëThe Potterís Brushí Explores Kenzan Creations by Serena Lei This yearís National Cherry Blossom Festival, which finishes April 8, celebrates the 90th anniversary of Japanís gift of 3,000 cherry trees to the United States and the friendship that has developed between the two countries. The Freer Gallery of Art is commemorating this friendship by displaying its collection of Japanese art in five new exhibits, including ìThe Potterís Brush: The Kenzan Style in Japanese Ceramics.î The exhibit showcases Kenzan ware, one of the most popular styles of Japanese ceramic painting. Kenzan refers to the ceramics created at Ogata Kenzanís workshop, as well as works inspired by his designs. Charles Lang Freer began collecting Kenzan ware in 1894 and, over the course of 17 years, acquired the largest collection of Kenzan ceramics outside Japan. Before Japan cut itself off from the outside world during the Edo period (1603-1868), the Japanese imported elements of Chinese and Korean culture, including tea ceremony rituals, porcelain techniques and pottery designs. Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743) experimented with these traditional pottery techniques to creat e his own distinctive style. Most of Kenzanís ceramics were created by artisans in his workshop, rather than by the artist himself. The Kenzan name was essentially a brand name, becoming so popular that a flood of imitations was forged for centuries. The exhibit at the Freer Gallery includes these forgeries, as well as almost 90 pieces inspired by Kenzan design and 10 pieces by the artist himself. Ogata Kenzanís real name was Ogata Shinsei. He adopted the name ìKenzanîówhich means ìnorthwest,î a direction considered to be a source of strength and creativityówhen he opened a studio in the area northwest of Kyoto. There, his artisans created a variety of ceramics for everyday use, including pieces for tea ceremonies, bowls, incense burners, vases and tiles. Kenzanís signature style can be seen in the way he paints pottery, as if it were a scroll or a screen, with flat, simplified brushstrokes. However, it can be difficult to identify the commonality of each piece. The subjects are variedóplants and flowers, landscapes, scenes from poetry and literature, and sometimes more abstract images, such as the brightly colored stripes of a childís toy top. Some of the pieces are painted in blue and brown ink to replicate Chinese-style paintings, while other ceramics are painted in vivid colors. The exhibition is broken down into six parts, describing the different approaches to Kenzan design. One style features plants and flowers typically referred to in Japanese poetry. These designs stem from the Rimpa mode of painting, which took its subjects from nature and literature. The Rimpa school was named after Kenzanís older brother, Ogata Korin (1658-1716), and uses bright colors and simple designs. The brothers collaborated on ceramics, creating pieces such as a Kenzan-contoured rim bowl with Korin-style painted cranes. Another style, Raku, uses black or red glazes, primarily adopted and assimilated by Kenzanís successor, Ogata Ihachi. The influence of Chinese culture can also be seen in the scholar-recluse mode of Kenzan ware. The reclusive scholar was a common subject of Chinese art and literature. Kenzan himself lived this life, studying classical poetry in his studio outside of the city. Ceramics and desk screens copying a Chinese aesthetic were inscribed with a poem or saying written in Chinese. Scenes of scholars in retreat are unscrolled around incense burners and cups, painted in a ìsplashed inkî style reminiscent of ink on paper scrolls or silk. The Utsushi mode refers to ìcopies with a difference.î Kenzan copies were influenced by China, Vietnam, Thailand and Holland. During Kenzanís time, trade was dominated by the Dutch East India Company, and Dutch and Italian influences can be seen in several pieces of Kenzan ware. Eventually, Kenzan ware became so popular that Utsushi designs began replicating Kenzan designs. The final aspect of the exhibit focuses on native poetics, which reflects a style of painting inspired by classical literature. This mode of Kenzan ware was inscribed with lines of poetry or featured landscapes and images from the literature. Poetry and prose, such as the popular ìTales of Ise,î became available to the merchant class, creating demand for these romantic ceramics. Although these six modes of Kenzan designs are diverse, they are connected by a philosophy of design. This simplified aesthetic replaced earlier, highly decorative enamels and turned pottery into a canvas for painting. A second exhibit, titled ìMore Than Flowers: Sources of Tradition in Japanese Painting,î compliments the Kenzan exhibit by presenting paintings in the Rimpa style, including pieces by Kenzan and Korin. ìThe Potterís Brush: The Kenzan Style in Japanese Ceramicsî runs through Oct. 27 at the Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. ìMore Than Flowers: Sources of Tradition in Japanese Paintingî runs through Nov. 24. For more information, please call (202) 357-2700 or visit www.asia.si.edu. Serena Lei is an arts writer for The Washington Diplomat.