jaime hayon x KUTANI CHOEMON

image © designboom


tradition is not just repetition, but is made with layers of present moments.
spanish designer jaime hayón has designed a range of porcelain tableware for traditional japanese porcelain company
KUTANI CHOEMON, in collaboration with japanese product design brand maruwakaya.
for the first time on show in tokyo earlier this month was the 'kamide choemon - gama for jaime hayòn collection',
a series of tableware with delicate japanese ornaments, elements freely interpreted and translated by hayon into actors
of a contemporary table setting scenery.



video documenting the making of the pieces


choemon hopes that people will re-valuate the importance of gathering around a table.
key ideas in traditional japanese culture are often linked to the dinner table, and are based upon relations between the people at the table,
food, seasons and table wares are interrelated. thus the goal was to create pieces that help people recognize and re-discover these
relationships. at the designtide show, hand painted pieces of art were presented as well as restaurant- and everyday tableware,
that use the print transfer technique.



image © designboom



sketch by jamie hayon
image © designboom



sketches and drawings by jamie hayon
image © designboom



image © designboom




image © designboom




image © designboom

image © designboom




drawings by jamie hayon
image © designboom



drawings by jamie hayon
image © designboom




image © designboom



views from the exhibition at designtide
image © designboom



exhibition at designtide
image © designboom


kamide choemon-gama
one of japan’s most acclaimed traditional porcelain crafts,
established in 1879 at terai mura, nomi-gun, ishikawa prefecture as a pottery of kutaniyaki. for over 130 years,
kamide choemon-gama is making tableware and tea sets by hand using only original traditional techniques which
were passed on from generation to generation. their pieces feature fine porcelain art work in deep colours.

maruwakaya
is a creative product producer team and japanese style product brand, headed by hirotoshi maruwaka, it was established in 2007.
'where should japanese crafts go?' is their fundamental question, and therefore maruwakaya works and collaborates with many
craftsmen and companies all over japan to define a contemporary direction of japanese crafts.