Taido White Jomon Cachepot

Attention turns to origins in the Taido White Jomon Cachepot. Created by Kyoto-based ceramist Wakunami Madoka, the work draws from Jomon pottery motifs associated with birth, where human forms appear in moments of emergence. The title Taido combines the characters for womb and earth, evoking both the source of life and the clay body from which all vessels are formed.

This piece references interpretations of Jomon vessels that depict a moment of birth, an image understood as a symbolic expression of reverence for life. In a period when survival was uncertain and lifespans were short, the arrival of new life itself was regarded as profound and miraculous. Wakunami approaches these ancient motifs with respect, seeking not to replicate them, but to rearticulate their sense of wonder.

The vessel is coil-built by hand without the use of a wheel. The central body is formed first, while the facial element is constructed separately in a conical shape and then attached. Surrounding details are wrapped and carved into the surface, echoing decorative patterns found on historical Jomon pottery. The interior remains solid behind the applied face, preserving structural integrity while maintaining the symbolic presence of emergence.

For this piece, Wakunami selects a distinct white glaze to achieve a softer, more natural surface. The glaze is quiet rather than dramatic, allowing the form to hold presence without competing with the botanical life it frames.

Conceived as a cachepot for a potted plant, Taido White carries an added resonance. The vessel becomes a surrounding form for living growth—an understated reflection on birth, continuity, and the enduring relationship between clay and life

Wakunami Madoka

Kyoto-based ceramic artist Wakunami Madoka finds inspiration in the ancient. Deeply moved by the art of the Jomon people, which is among the oldest pottery in the world, she reinterprets millennia-old forms for the present age. With a background in both Koishiwara ware, a ceramic folk craft originating in Kyushu, and Kyoto’s native Kyo ware, she lends a soft, graceful refinement to the primitive allure of Jomon forms through her use of new clay and glazes.