Baba Takashi is renowned for his deep engagement with the Bizen pottery tradition and his distinctive sculptural approach to ceramic form. He originally studied sculpture, focusing on carving the human figure and other forms from stone, where he became captivated by the beauty of the human body and the inherent presence and strength of natural materials.
Today, Baba creates ceramic works using a combination of wheel-throwing, slab-building, and te-bineri coil techniques. His vessels often reflect a sculptural sensibility rooted in the human form. One of his representative works, Torso, is a flower vase shaped like a woman’s silhouette, its fluid lines evoking the image of a dancer with fabric flowing in the wind. When flowers are arranged, they become the face of the figure, completing the work and reinforcing the dialogue between form and function.
In contrast, Earth Vessel (Daichi no Utsuwa) expresses a more primal presence, characterized by a rugged, fractured surface that evokes a fragment of nature itself. Conceived as an exploration of the raw power of excavated clay, the piece is molded using broken stone surfaces, transferring the enduring strength of stone—shaped over millions of years—into ceramic form.
Baba is also known for his exploration of ao-yohen (blue kiln transformation), which originated by chance when a small sake cup fell into hot embers during firing, revealing an unexpected blue surface. Fascinated by this phenomenon, he spent over twelve years refining clay composition, kiln placement, and firing conditions to achieve a vivid blue hue. Although he fires his kiln only twice a year, producing roughly 1,000 works per firing, only a small number exhibit this rare transformation.
Continuously expanding his expressive range, Baba has also explored Shino ware, creating works with feldspar glazes that produce warm orange and golden tones. His Kuro-Bizen (Black Bizen) pieces are created by applying an iron-rich slip inspired by the historical Ibede technique of the Edo period, resulting in deep black, glossy surfaces with a metallic depth.
Through the combination of Bizen clay, traditional firing methods, glazes, and wood-fired kilns, Baba Takashi seeks to encounter landscapes yet unseen. Looking forward, he aims to create works that resonate not only within the realm of ceramics, but also within contemporary art more broadly.
He also participated in the exhibition "IBUKI" Digital Catalog
