Toru Hatta set up a pottery studio in Tondabayashi Jinaimachi, Osaka, which retains the scenic traditional townscape of the Edo period, and an anagama kiln in Sakai City, located 30 minutes away by car from the pottery studio. He was interested in crafting since a very young age and majored in Environmental Design at university. By recommendation of Satoru Hoshino, a lecturer at his university, he found employment at Osaka’s Maishima Pottery Facility after graduating. This facility is well-known as a research institute for Naniwazuyaki pottery, which is made using marine clay from Osaka Bay. Other than the marine clay, he also learned various techniques, such as reusing pine stakes that were used for foreshore protection works as firewood when firing the clay, using the ash of reeds growing along the Yodo River to make glaze, and more. The idea of using everyday waste as material for making pottery was fascinating while the perspective of reusing resources was refreshing and attractive to Hatta, which influenced his future creative works.

In the beginning, he was fixated on creating something that only he could make and went through many trials and errors but gradually changed his mindset. Instead of focusing on showing his own individuality, he began to explore ways to create vessels that reflect the lives and culture of the people living there.
The more a creator becomes obsessed with making a good vessel, the more the vessel is imbued with the creator’s ego. Realizing this fact, Hatta continuously spun the potter's wheel and kept the kiln burning to immerse himself in purely making pottery.
Touching the clay and watching the fire burn is Hatta’s daily routine. By making it a habit, he has learned to recognize the minute changes in his mood and the transitions of the environment to create another unique vessel today.

TEXT by Hisashi Ikai

Toru Hatta
Born in Ishikawa in 1977. Graduated from Osaka Sangyo University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Design Engineering in 2000. Began working as a potter in 2003. Built an Anagama kiln in 2004. He currently has pottery workshops in Tondabayashi and Sakai, Osaka, and will be establishing his second Anagama kiln in April 2022. He mainly exhibits his works at exhibitions in Japan and abroad.

八田亨は、江戸時代の伝統的な美しい街並みが残る大阪の富田林寺内町にろくろ場を、そこから車で30分ほど離れた堺市に穴窯を構えている。幼少の頃からものづくりに興味を持ち、大学時代は環境デザインを専攻。同大で教鞭を執っていた星野暁（さとる）の薦めで、卒業後は大阪の舞洲陶芸館に就職した。当館は、大阪湾の海底粘土からつくる難波津焼の研究施設として知られており、海底粘土のほか、護岸工事に使われた松杭を薪代わりにしたり、淀川の河岸に生える葦を焼いてつくる灰を釉薬にするなど、さまざまな実験を経験した。生活周りから出た廃品が材料となることがある焼き物の面白さ、資源の再利用という観点が八田にとっては新鮮で、かつ、魅力的で、その後の作風にも影響を与えている。

当初は自分にしかできない表現は何かを考え、試行錯誤のなかで創作をしていたが、次第に意識が変化。作り手の個性を見せる意識よりも、より暮らしや風土に寄り添ううつわのあり方を求めるようになっていった。
よいうつわを作るために意識を強く持つほどに、はっきりと見えてくるのは作り手としてのエゴ。そう悟った八田は、純粋な姿勢でうつわづくりに没頭するために、ろくろを回し、窯を焚く作業を繰り返す。
土に触れ、炎を見つめる風景こそが、八田にとっての日常だ。反復のなかで、微細な気持ちの変化、環境の移り変わりを体で感じ、また今日も新たなうつわがその手から生まれている。

TEXT by 猪飼尚司

八田亨 はったとおる
1977年石川県生まれ。2000年大阪産業大学工学部環境デザイン学科卒業。2003年陶芸家としての活動を開始。翌2004年穴窯を築窯する。現在は大阪・富田林市と堺市に工房をもち、2022年4月に二基目となる穴窯を新設。国内外での展覧会を中心に作品を発表している。