村上隆のインスタグラム(takashipom) - 12月2日 07時55分

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In the past several years, Ueda @yuji____ueda has been presenting his ceramic works in the context of contemporary art and, as soon as it became known that his works are being acquired by overseas collectors, as opposed to Japanese ceramic aficionados, works in the style similar to Ueda’s started to pop up frequently. His style has been beyond unique in his native Shigaraki region that it’s safe to say no other artist had worked in a similar style as his before him. His originality is unshakable. Yet in the past few years, there has been an increasing number of works imitating his. Finding the nature of these imitations blatant, I have complained to knowledgeable people in the world of ceramics surrounding Ueda and was met with their permissive attitude; they defended the imitation as not particularly malicious but rather part of a historical process through which regional styles are established over time.
When I think about the countless bitter failures (including braking his ribs) and hardships Ueda had to experience in order to establish his originality, I cannot forgive the way the imitators copy the recipes for his glazes and plan for his kiln to quickly make their versions. But there’s a fine line between madness and genius when it comes to an artist—Ueda is often looked down upon by average common-sense people because of his unique character, and they often don’t take him seriously.
I myself suffer from developmental challenges, so I deeply sympathize with him. But in any event, his new kiln came out smaller than planned and he lost a drawing for it amidst all these challenges, yet he completed one new piece after another and has managed to realize the exhibition.

Having heard about all these goings on from the artist yesterday, I became furious and wrote this post, but it’s possible that it’s Ueda’s misunderstanding and no one actually stole anything; it’s also possible that the intellectuals are correct and that it’s right for a ceramic artist's style to be imitated and spread wide so that a ceramic producing region can share the benefit. Honestly, the worldview surrounding ceramics is filled with mystery.

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