Sublime Stuff (in South India): Part 1

While taking an excursion in Tamil Nadu I saw a bunch of stuff.  Small and large Chola Temples, about 1000 years old with incredible details of sculptured deities and their entourage. Yallis for example, are human bodies animal heads, like Ganesh for example. (so you can imagine my interest).

But in the first small temple was a giant Nandi bull and this giant Cat which had a room in it's belly, making it a building that really impressed me too. 

Visiting a temple, one must remove one's footwear. I had forgotten. But in this case, there is a lush green lawn that felt wonderful between my toes. In some of the other temples there were sisal runners that helped, otherwise my tender footed nature was really getting broiled. So I was running from one shady patch to the next. Some of these patches got crowded with other tenderfoots. There were a couple of tour groups that apparently been warned; they were wearing socks.

There was a visit to the palace in Thanjuvar to see the Chola bronzes. The height of the Chola period which started in the 3rd century was during the 10th-11th century when they were creating amazing temples and beautiful bronze sculptures. It was a time when the arts really flourished and a disciplined government was put into practice. Think Italian Renaissance in a few centuries to come. So, back to the bronze sculptures. Ever since I saw my first in Paris at the Guimet museum I have been captivated by their grace and form. The Nataraj (photo below) or the dancing Shiva creating the Universe. You can see that also in the stone sculpture on the temples as well. The palace museum was 'kinda funky' it was an interesting contrast in sublime and ridiculous. Unfortunately, the pix are on my other card....next posting. But here are some examples of the bronzes themselves without showing how they are shown (too much).

So there it is for a bit. I'm back in Pondicherry now for several more days. I am curious to see how the Ganesh I made while here did in the bisque fire. Fingers crossed! If the results are positive I will share them. Meanwhile I'll write next on the less sublime more everyday aspect of the trip. Nothing bad, well not really, just a contrast. The contrast that is India. But before I go here is a view from the terrace where I stayed at the Ideal River View Resort. It truly was Ideal.

Golden Bridge Pottery – Pondicherry, India

Greetings from South India!
Along way from home, but now happily ensconced in a home away from home.

I have been working here on a Ganesh sculpture. It is heaven! I think Ganesh put the obstacle of my computer breakdown in my path so I would go analogue and pay attention to his creation. Though Ganesh is suppose to be the remover of obstacles. His obstacles not mine?

Golden Bridge Pottery was founded by my wonderful hosts Ray Meeker & Deborah Smith in 1971. They have trained and taught many Indian nationals the skill, craft and art of production pottery and artistry of ceramics. If this were Japan, they would be considered national treasures. 

For about 40 years Ray taught a 7 month course to mostly young woman the skill and practice of working with clay. They were probably (but not necessarily) artistically minded, it was something to do while waiting to get married or go to graduate school, etc. He has created a generation of formidable artists. I mean kick ass! The few that I've met, they're passion for the medium and dedication is impressive. Also they're appreciation for Deb & Ray. 

They are taught (6 days a week, all day) from the making of clay to wheel throwing to glaze making and wood firing. The 7 months is a distillation of a 4 year BFA. Distilled to the coursework for a ceramic major. IMHO anyway.

More to come but wanted to set the scene. I am doing this with my thumbs in an iPhone, so time to rest the digits.

Like vs Possibility

People ask me why I go to India so much. "You must really like it....", they say. I don't think it's about liking it. It's too difficult a place to like, meaning it's not a lukewarm kinda thing, which is what like seems to me. I have left at least twice, perhaps 3 times saying I would never return. No one believed me, except me. But I can't be one of those Indiaphiles saying how much I love India.
Because on a personality level I don't. It's hard to be tested. It's difficult to be patient and out of ones 'comfort zone'. To be astonished by poverty and magic and utter chaos, happening all at the same time. It's hard walking around feeling sorry for people and also be annoyed that they look at you as walking ATM machines. Or witness or be the recipient of a wonderful act of kindness or generosity while going crazy with the sound of honking horns or stench of garbage or watching a sick dog limping down the street. Yeah, you've heard varieties of this kind of description before. Seen photos of such things. I have nothing new to add. Except it's not about 'like' or even love. It's more about acceptance and being able to be open hearted and not shut down or overwhelmed while having these experiences that are difficult, uncomfortable if not just painful or confusing or all at the same time.

But in my search for God knows what (and that's about the only entity that might know): love of travel, pottery, design, beauty and some truth in all that...
I keep returning to India. This time by way of Japan, which I naively thought would be my 'replacement', as in 'Japan is the new India as my 'go to' place.
But I met Deb and Ray there (Japan) and we really got along and they run a pottery concern, 'Golden Bridge Pottery'. They are expats who have lived in Pondicherry since 1971. We all enjoyed our time together so much, they generously invited me to come visit. So I am. Just to make it clear: it's not because I like India.

Something I noticed: While visiting in Japan I noticed that Japanese do not like to say 'no'. They say, 'it is not possible'. They consider this more polite and more pleasing and cultural aesthetic. In India, I often hear, 'anything is possible (madame)'. Because there, in India it is. Mostly it shows up in the guise of utter chaos. So with trepidation and a bit of a chip on my shoulder or a bit of fear of getting sick from something I ate, AGAIN. *sigh*  Off I go! Will keep you abreast of the chaos I roll into as the blog ambles forward. Namaste.

Pottery Towns

Tanuki statues are all over the town of Shigarashi are of an actual species - a raccoon dog. TheTanuki have been deified and represent good luck, steadiness, virtue, financial luck and are considered magical, having the ability to change form, as in a shapeshifter….They are made in this town, and if you drove through the center of it you would think this along with planters that would be all that is made here.
These Tanukis are also everywhere in Japan, comparable with the cat waving its paw….(but in my humble opinion, not as cute)

Well there is a lot more going on here than mass production of Tanukis. Shigarashi and Bizen are pottery towns. In Bizen there are at least 400 kilns operating (that's wood burning not electric, think foundry not household ovens) at any given time.Why? These places are ancient kiln sites, 2 of the original 6 sites some that go back to the 13th century. But before I start talking too much about history, I know too little of, look at Robert Yellin's site: http://www.e-yakimono.net/guide/
This will give you the full story with images from a very knowledgeable source.

Meanwhile, we visited 2 artists studios Kanzaki Shiho whose work is very beautiful and primordial.

Then we went to the light and airy home and studio of Kohyama Yasuhisa.

Gallery shot above, Kiln shot below.

I really liked the work, and the work of his wife/partner, Wakae (more folk craft style or mingei) that we had green tea cake and cookies on (yum) were wonderful as well.

Bizen is a beautiful pottery town. A pottery town was established long time ago and is considered one of the 6 original (ancient) kiln sites. The number has grown as archeological digs have found evidence of other sites. Meanwhile Bizen is picturesque, unlike the main areas of Shigarashi. Though trying to find a quick lunch was not simple as all the commercial that are not sit down restaurants or pottery galleries are on the edges. Kind of like those charming little destination towns in Connecticut where one goes 'antiquing'. Though this is Japan and it's pottery. Kind of the same, but mostly different. Sigh. I'll let the pix doing the describing. Again, I highly recommend the Robert Yellin site to get the real 411 on this. www.e-yakimono.net

We went to visit the home and studio of Isezaki Jun, the living treasure of Japan for ceramics. Another parallel would be a national MacArthur grant. The honor of being a national treasure is more governmental: one must be elected and one must lecture on their craft to support interest in it and it is more of the classic style of pottery (or whatever discipline) than the personal. It's complex and deep, as these things. I don't know enough to speak with authority, I'm attempting to give a parallel for understanding. None the less, he is a master of his craft.

A partial view of Isezake Jun's studio.

 A work in progress. This is more of his 'personal work' versus the classic tea bowl (chawan) or sake bottle (tokkuri) or cups (guinomi)

The small kiln with a bit of  Kochiro (Jun's son).  Interior of 40 foot kiln. It takes 2 weeks to load, 2 weeks to fire (see wood pile in small kiln photo) which is a 24/7 experience keeping the temperature consistent and draft moving and adding ash as needed. This is a very very simplistic explanation of the firing process. This kiln is part of the Isezaki compound, it has only been fired once, thus it's pristine condition. If you plan on building one of these this would be a good model to follow.

A partial view (still life) of the garden of Kokurezaki Kyuichi. 

Kokurezaki's outdoor studio near the kiln. He was referred to as a 'rock star potter'. Such a person exists  in Japan. When we visited his home and studio, he was preparing for a solo show in one of the major museums in Japan.

Miho Museum

The Miho Museum is about an hour out of Kyoto. It's worth the trip. The building is designed by I M Pei, the funding for the museum came from a spiritual movement, Shinji Shumeikai founded by Mihoko Koyama, an incredibly wealthy textile heiress. But that is information. 

This is about sensation. It is a beautiful day, the leaves are beginning to turn. They hold the promise of more vivd color. It is a hopeful day. The way the circles of window or opening tunnel plays with inside/outside of whatever is inside or outside but are inescapably yoked together (google the phrase ichi-soto). That idea is imparted to the viewer at the behest of the foundation. Again information. I humbly submit  a photo essay that attempts to impart this concept. 

The entrance door opens and closes the circle

You walk to the back of the lobby and see a beautiful landscape that transcends inside or outside. 

You are beyond a definition of inside or outside space.

Garden of Heaven

Stairway without Robert Plant wailing….small feet in thong sandals and kimono taking delicate steps admiring the view and thinking about preparing the tea ceremony.

I am not a gardener. But now I believe. Not that I imagine going way beyond house plants for regular care. But this garden is the garden of aesthetic pleasure, earthly delights. If I gush any more I'll embarrass myself, if I haven't already. Lets just say, I visited heaven and I say 'thumbs up'. 

And I feel very fortunate to be able to have snuck in the visit. These pictures are a mere sketch, it is really about being present and absorbing earthly heaven.

First Impressions: Kyoto

This is a copse of bamboo trees at night at a temple in Kyoto. During the autumn different temples do 'light shows' as people walk through the temple gardens. It was Saturday night, it was crowded. It was kind of obvious that it was 'date night'. This was not a pilgrimage, it was entertainment. Smart phones were rampant, taking pictures in the dark. This is one of several (perhaps more to come), of what I got using the 'panorama' setting on my iPhone. 

Last night when we first arrived into Kyoto, when we went out to dinner in the Gion district. It is just bedazzling with shop windows, displays, products of who knows what but so incredibly beautiful….well here are a few displays.

Is this the Manolo's for the kimono set?

Another shrine, this time for jazz

Outside a window that sold these rabbit (kanji) sculptures and next door to a restaurant.

What would your caption be? Mine is 'uh oh'.

This is more about packaging. This sake is served with 'surface tension', easily spilling over into the box that you then pour back into the glass. Just another way to enjoy a glass of sake (which I have been enjoying very very much….rice is such an amazing grain…. At least here it is…..

Tonight at the Okonomiyaki place across the street from the hotel we ate this 

http://www.japan-guide.com/r/e100.html

and yakisoba noodles. We had to wait awhile, being New Yorkers we were convinced it was because we didn't speak Japanese. But when we were eventually served, first with the yakisoba (sautéd noodles and vegetables) it was soooo worth the wait! After years of disappointment, hoping for good sauté, my patience was rewarded! Delicious! Not too salty/greasy/blah starch…but crisp, flavorful with a great spice and ginger, but not hot/peppery, just so delicious. On it's heels came the Okonomiyaki, with a ponzu/hoisin sauce thing brushed on top with scallions…..super yum! While we were waiting, we watched young small, healthy, thin couples eat 3 starters and then as much as we ate. They really packed it away. Beginning with an ice cream soda and a beer! I'm convince that they only eat once a week and we saw that meal….

Meanwhile 2 image of beauty Japan style: 

1.The tunnel at the Miho Museum designed by IM Pei. The rest of the Museum and grounds are spectacular. What a delight to stand in this space. The recent typhoon slowed down the number of buses that could come to this somewhat remote outpost of a museum. If you get to this part of the world, make the trip to see it. (more pix to come).

2. The back of an obi on a very beautiful kimono (shown earlier today on FB and Instagram)., more packaging (sort of). It's wedding season and our hotel, the Westin Miyako is full of them in the lobby, as those date nights end up being wedding weekends a year or two down the line.

Getting a bit out of sequence here. I'm not beyond having my non-conformist/lack of 'sticking to the plan' sensibility not appear in the blog. Considering the source it would be impossible.