ハタノワタル Wataru Hatano has over 20 years of experience in producing hand-made washi as well as applying this Japanese traditional paper to create a wide range of objects including stationery, placemats, table tops, wall coverings and materials used for interior design projects. Mr. Hatano lives and works in Kurotani, a town located in the northern part of the Kyoto Prefecture, famed for the making of 黒谷和紙 Kurotani washi – a Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property with over 800 years of history.
Mr. Hatano was one of the 13 artists featured in 三谷龍二 Ryuji Mitani’s latest publication すぐそばの工芸 Living Crafts Beside Life. He was also involved in the interior decoration of 小慢京都 Xiao Man Kyoto, where his work of Kuratoni washi were incorporated into walls, doors and other visual displays. Naturally, Mr. Hatano was invited to participate in the 日本生活器物展Living Crafts Beside Life exhibition held at Taipei’s 華山1914文化創意產業園 Huashan 1914 Creative Park between November 9 and 15, 2018.
In addition to being an exhibitor of works including sheets of Kuratoni washi in various shades of colour, textures and sizes, Kuratoni washi wrapped boxes and placemats as well as wall decoration, Mr. Hatano also played another interesting role at the exhibition. He was one of the four artists, who had volunteered to host tea gatherings using his works for a small group of guests.
Mr. Hatano prepared 雲南生普洱茶 Yunnan Sheng Pu’er tea using a 宜興朱泥壼 Yixing clay (terracotta) teapot for me and five other guests. The infusion was served into white unglazed ceramic bowls. Because of its interesting cardboard-like texture, I thought for a while that the bowls were made from washi paper. Later I found out that the paper placed under the teapot in front of Mr. Hatano, the paper of blue and charcoal colour placed in front of each guest with a sweet on top, and a large placemat where the bowls were held together were all Mr. Hatano’s work. The bowls, which were works belonged to ceramic artist 河合和美 Kazumi Kawai who was not a participating artist in this exhibition, nicely complemented the look and feel of Mr. Hatano’s washi.
The waterproof nature and strength of Mr. Hatano’s washi was apparent where there were water spills on his works from pouring water out of the kettle to the teapot and serving tea from the teapot to the bowls. Washi is made from 楮 kouzo, a species of tree known as mulberry. It is made by hand following a process of steaming the kouzo to remove the fibre from the bark, and washing, drying, boiling, beating of the kouzo fibre. Glutinous vegetable material and water are added to the fibre to form a mixture for manipulation using a mold to create a sheet of washi. To make the washi more water resistant, antiseptic and insect repellent, Mr. Hatano applied the traditional Japanese materials of konnyaku paste, persimmon tannin and vegetable oil to the surface of the washi.
I greatly enjoyed the session particularly when Mr. Hatano briefly explained the process of making Kurotani washi, which led me to become more appreciative of the small washi placement that was given to me and other guests as gifts for attending his tea gathering. Communicating the beauty of washi is Mr. Hatano’s passion. In addition to preserving the craft of traditional paper making through his works, he wants to help people discover the authenticity and sense of warmth associated with the use of washi in their daily lives.
