“Real Resistance of a Bizen Lineage” — An Interview with Isezaki Yotaro

The moment I first saw his work, I felt something beyond the simple desire to “share it.”
It was a strange sense of responsibility—an inner voice telling me, this is something I must be involved with. It was a feeling I had occasionally experienced since my days as a fashion buyer, and it was powerfully awakened again by the works of Yotaro Isezaki, the artist I introduce here.

Concept, contemporaneity, trend, innovation, NFT, and above all, authenticity—his work precisely captures all of these elements at once. And beyond that, he carries an extraordinary personal background story. 1980s pop culture and anime, mass production and consumer society, and even contemporary keywords such as NFT and AI—all of these converge into the traditional Bizen philosophy of the “one-of-a-kind.” This sense of crossover is the very essence of his practice.

“I was born into a world surrounded by Bizen ware. ‘Artist-made’ pieces were simply normal to me. I helped with kiln firings from a young age, and naturally believed that the subtle irregularities and textures of handmade work were what defined something as ‘good.’ However, I loved anime and manga. When I was in middle school, I once drew a lottery ticket at a convenience store for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and won a mug. Until then, I had unconsciously believed that ‘vessels equal Bizen ware.’ Seeing my favorite pop culture and a vessel come together was shocking. The form of the cup and especially its handle left a strong impression on me. That experience has stayed deeply with me ever since.”

This is the complete opposite of the usual path. Most of us—myself included—come to appreciate artist-made works later in life, discovering their beauty gradually. Yet he was moved by a mass-produced mug. That unusual experience later became the core of his use of transfer printing, forming the foundation of his current style.

“I loved anime and manga and had many interests growing up, but I never had a clear ambition to become a ceramic artist. At the same time, as the eldest son of the Isezaki family, I felt a certain sense of duty, while also strongly wanting to see the world outside. That led me to enroll in the ceramics department at Kyoto Seika University.”

As a condition for going to Kyoto, he had promised that after graduation he would apprentice under his father, Shin Isezaki. Yet while studying ceramics, he began to feel that he did not truly understand the foundations of Bizen ware. After graduating, he returned to learn from his father from the very beginning.

“In my first year as an apprentice, I was simply overwhelmed learning everything. By the second year, when I finally had time to think, the pandemic began. As the world shifted to remote work and dramatic change, I found myself living exactly the same days, bound by traditions of Bizen ware that seemed unchangeable. I began to question whether this was truly right. Perhaps there were things that had to change with the times. Around then, my younger brother passed the entrance exam for the sculpture department at Tokyo University of the Arts. Seeing him carve out his own path made me realize that I too had to take action.”

As the heir to a prestigious lineage, it was taken for granted that he would remain and continue the tradition. The pressure and struggle he experienced are beyond what we can easily imagine. Yet his determination to create his own path never wavered.

“Once I made up my mind, I set a date to leave home and worked backward, preparing for a year and a half. I saved money and planned carefully. After leaving, I stayed with my brother in Tokyo for six months before enrolling in the Tajimi Design Institute. During that time, I visited exhibitions of contemporary artists, including those from Tokyo University of the Arts, and I also became deeply absorbed in NFTs. It felt as though my world had suddenly expanded.”

T

he works presented here are created using transfer prints of images generated by AI or compiled from photographs in his own iPhone gallery.

“Ever since that experience with the lottery mug, transfer printing has stayed strongly in my mind. When I consulted a teacher at the design institute, I was introduced to a company that specialized in transfer printing, which made it possible for me to pursue it. I’ve always wanted to merge tradition with the very latest aspects of the contemporary world. I was already deeply involved in NFTs, and I had been using AI and ChatGPT even before they became widely popular. I grew up with anime and manga, and like many people today, I spend much of my time with my smartphone. All of these elements—my roots, my daily life, my interests—naturally came together and led to my current style.”

The idea of singularity was often discussed during the pandemic, but today it feels like an ordinary part of life. Yet precisely because of this era, Yotaro turns his gaze back toward his own roots.

“The more I work with AI, the more I feel it is very similar to ceramics. Especially with anagama kilns, once you put the work inside, it leaves your hands and you can only entrust it to nature. You never know what colors or textures will emerge until the very end. AI is the same. Even if you give many instructions through words and tools, you ultimately have to leave the outcome to AI. That unpredictability, that element beyond control—it’s just like kiln transformation. That’s why I feel AI is a kind of ‘kiln.’”

When encountering avant-garde work, one often senses a kind of deliberate intention or artificiality from the artist. Yet standing before Yotaro Isezaki’s works, I felt none of that. Instead, I perceived them as entirely natural extensions of traditional practice. This is because he is not merely attempting something provocative after leaving Bizen behind; rather, he has carefully thought through how to connect his roots with contemporary tools such as AI to create his work.

Carrying many struggles within himself, yet never denying his origins—in fact, expressing deep respect and affection for Bizen ware—this attitude is what drives the creation of these new vessels. I sincerely hope that those who hold his works in their hands will be able to feel this as well.