Ingegerd Råman × Porcelain / Koransha [Story3]Pursuing simplicity

The first release from Ingegerd Råman’s collaboration with Koransha can be found in celadon-black pairings in each of the 170 guest rooms at Hamacho Hotel. The Mano’s tea cups, named after the Spanish word for hand, are the culmination of new partnerships and a break from convention in one of Japan’s historic kiln towns.

As Koransha’s factory manager Keisuke Mori explains, embracing a new way of thinking was integral to the success of the collaboration. “In Arita, porcelain wares have traditionally been moulded, shaved back and finished. This process has allowed for the preservation of beautiful forms. Regardless of whether this process is good or bad, adopting a freehand approach to production has been refreshing.” Aside from requiring a change in mindset, adopting this approach was not without its practical challenges. The natural variation of handcrafted forms, arguably one of their aesthetic appeals, required the creation of new quality control standards — free of reliance on tools and drawings.

In the same way that the design developed through an iterative process, the collaboration continue to evolve throughout the first round of production. As the relationship between the designer, maker and potters deepened, so too did their understanding of Råman’s intent. “The process was completely different to how we usually work in Arita, so I was a little hesitant to begin with,” explains Fujimaki Ceramics’ Kosuke Fujimoto, one of the three potters involved in the project. “As I continued to work, the cup’s form and scale gradually registered within me, and I began to converse with Ingegerd’s design.”

Each cup is a reflection of the potter’s journey to connect with and interpret the design. The forms created on the pottery wheel informed the development of the complementary glazes. “The density of the transparent celadon glaze changes according to the grooves created by the potter’s fingertips,” explains Yoshiyuki Kishikawa, Koransha’s technical manager. Accompanying the celadon, the black glaze is the result of testing more than 100 prototypes. “The black glaze’s expression varies according to its firing position in the kiln and the outside temperature, humidity and air pressure. Just like the wheel-thrown forms, the glaze has variations that add to its character.”

The sum of these small adjustments and decisions, made throughout the design and production phases, are contained within the details of each porcelain cup. The result emerges as what Råman describes as a hint of exclusivity — a personal connection or sense of joy that she hopes people will discover when using her products. “My designs are simple. I hope there’s always some warmth in what I do, something a little bit special — like the way it feels in your hand or how nice it is to drink from,” she says.

Perhaps therein lies the charm of her porcelain tea cups: simplicity with a hint of exclusivity; functional design with joyful details. With an experimental new chapter in her collaboration with Koransha now complete, her dialogue with the porcelain makers and potters of Arita continues to evolve. 

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Ingegerd Råman

Ingegerd Råman is one of Sweden’s most renowned designers of glass and ceramics. Simplicityand timelessness are the key characteristics of her work that have helped Råman enjoy acareer of longevity and success. She creates objects that are balancedand discreet but alsowarm–a feeling of joy and beauty are inherent in her works. Råman believes her objects donot come to life until they are used.Multifunctionality plays a large role in her designs and pieces can often be combined with oneanother and reassembled in various combinations. Råman has designed for several importantScandinavian and international manufacturers, most notably Johanfors Glass, Skruf andOrrefors. Her work is exhibited by museums such as the National Museum of Fine Arts inStockholm, the Corning Glass Museum, The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo, CraftsGallery. Raman haswon the Excellent Swedish Design Award no less than 17 times.

Koransha Co. Ltd

Koransha was founded as a maker and exporter of Arita porcelain in 1875 by Eizaemon Fukagawa and three partners. After the company was dissolved in 1879, Eizaemon founded Koran, the company that would later become Koransha. The company developed Japan’s first porcelain insulator and this made a significant contribution to the modernisation of Japan when it was used in the construction of the telegraph line between Tokyo and Nagasaki. Today, the company relies on three core product groups: porcelain art, electrical insulators and fine ceramics. It owns a series of printing technologies and has the ability to create plaster molds using an NC modeling machine as well as having a selective colour glazing capability – a high level of quality control is always sought.

www.koransha.co.jp