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| Ambassador's Speech>2011 >110901a | |||||
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| at the Opening Ceremony of the Japanese Pottery Exhibition at the Modern Art Museum on 1 September, 2011 |
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Your Excellency Ato Amin Abdulkadir, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Endemen ameshachehu. It is a great pleasure for me to celebrate with you the opening of the Japanese Pottery Exhibition in Addis Ababa. First, I would like to express my heartfelt welcome to all of you who have gathered here at the Modern Art Museum this evening. Indeed, this is the first event of the Japanese Cultural Season for JFY2011. This exhibition introduces the works of 35 emerging Japanese potters from seven major traditional kiln sites in Japan. These artists differ in their approach and style, with some seeking to further enhance traditional techniques, while others are trying to explore creative modern forms. Some works are chic in color and shape, while others are innovative, ultramodern and bright in color. The theme of this exhibition is ‘vessels’, and it illustrates how Japanese potters understand the function of a vessel today. Each work is unique and genuine, all expressing simplistic beauty that the Earth and Nature provides us. The ceramic arts flourished in Japan more than one thousand years ago. For example, the oldest kiln site for this exhibition exists in Bizen, whose porcelain evolved during the Heian period, which stretched from the eighth to the twelfth century. Most pieces of pottery here, in this exhibition, were produced in the western part of Japan, where good quality porcelain clays and ample firewood for kilns are readily available. Every region has its own unique pottery making method, including types of clay used, temperature of firing, designs, shapes and decorations. In this exhibition, I hope that you will enjoy an interesting contrast and different tastes, depending on artists and regions. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, This exhibition has been made possible thanks to a number of organizations that have supported us. First of all, I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Japan Foundation in Tokyo for sponsoring this exhibition. Without its funding and its arrangement for rotating these lovely works around the world, this exhibition would not have been possible. Secondly, I am very grateful to the Modern Art Museum for offering this cozy, modern hall for our event, whose atmosphere and setting best fits the pottery to be presented. Then, my appreciation goes to several private companies and an art loving individual. I would like to thank Green International Logistics Services, a cargo company, Ethio-Nippon Tech Co., a Mitsubishi car dealer, Dashen Fujiyama Society, the alumni association of Ethiopian businessmen trained in Japan, What’s Out Addis, an information magazine, and Ato Mesfin Gebreyes Oda, a patron of the museum and an art collector. They all sponsored this event either in cash or in services. At this point, I would also like to thank Ato Tesfaye Gelaye, an Ethiopian potter who has been active in Japan for many years. He has participated in this event with some of his works brought from Japan as part of grassroots exchanges between our two countries. Thanks to his contribution, you will enjoy both Japanese and Ethiopian flavor in pottery at the same time, feeling some cross cultural touches. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, From now on, for the coming three weeks until 23 September, this exhibition will be open to the public. I am sure that you will enjoy the very different pieces of pottery exhibited here. I hope, as a result of this exhibition, your understanding of Japanese culture will be enhanced, and our friendship on the grassroots level will be promoted. In addition, I hope that the potters among us will feel inspired and that we will soon see new styles emerging in their work. I thank you all for joining us here this evening, and please enjoy the rest of the program. Amesagenalehu. |
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