Profile: Rooted in Tradition, Evolving Through Non-Color
Makoto Hatori (b. 1947, Japan) began his ceramic journey under a master of traditional Japanese pottery in 1970, returning for a second apprenticeship in 1974. He completed a bachelor’s degree in sculpture at Nihon University College of Art in 1972, followed by research in clay and glazes at the Gifu Prefectural Institute of Ceramics from 1972 to 1974.
In 1975, he established a ceramics studio in Tamatsukuri, Ibaraki Prefecture, with a traditional kiln of his own design, which he operated until 2006. During this period, he produced and exhibited traditional ceramics nationally. Since 2007, he has been based in Moriya, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Hatori has been internationally recognized since 1978, with awards and selections in over twenty countries, including countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas―such as Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, and Poland; as well as New Zealand, Egypt, South Africa, Taiwan, Korea, and the United States.
In 1992, he served as a ceramics tutor in the Department of Art and Design at Manchester Polytechnic (now Manchester Metropolitan University). From 1994 to 1996, he was a member of Contemporary Applied Arts, London. He has participated in numerous international symposia and conferences, among them the International Ceramic Symposium, Panevezys, Lithuania (1996, 1998); Earth and Fire, Craft Potters Association of Great Britain (1997); the International Woodfiring Symposium, International Ceramics Studio, Hungary (2006); and the 2nd ICMEA Conference, Fuping Pottery Art Village, Shaanxi, China (2007).
In addition to his artistic practice, Hatori has contributed reviews to international ceramics journals, and his writings have been cited in various publications.
Note: This moment marked his quiet emergence as a Bizen potter outside Okayama―the birthplace of Japan’s oldest ceramic tradition. It was a rare and significant step, positioning him as the first Bizen-trained artist to establish such a kiln beyond its historical region. This act would later resonate with his lifelong pursuit of Hijiki―the philosophy of “non-color,” through which he seeks to transcend surface appearances and return to the essence of form. A short video compiling archival materials and press coverage from that time is available [here]. Please note that the video is in Japanese, preserving the original and cultural context of the era.
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Makoto Hatori is a ceramic artist whose practice is rooted in the ethics of material, tradition, and philosophical restraint... For a deeper understanding of his personal philosophy and artistic evolution, please see his reflective essay:"Makoto Hatori's Ceramics: Embracing Non-Color and Traditioin Artistic Evolution"