Development of the Kiji Arita collection began when Dutch artist Sander Wassink explored a warehouse storing unused Arita porcelain. He was fascinated by the variety and high quality of these pieces, which were almost ready for disposal. Arita porcelain has long been known for producing high-end Japanese tableware, offering diverse shapes and sizes, with each piece carefully crafted by skilled artisans. Discovering that many designs date from the postwar period to the present inspired the development of a way to convey these elements to the world. The collection brings together designs that were created to meet the needs of their respective eras, unified into a single collection. It includes 11 items: tea bowls, teapots, cups, small plates, and deep bowls. Since the collection uses discontinued items, stock is limited, and once sold out, the shape will no longer be available. These are standard but limited-edition products. Each color is chosen simply, reflecting the limited stock of each item. Arita is a beautiful town surrounded by deep green rocky mountains. The glaze color of Kiji Arita reproduces the clear, deep bluish-green water of the Arita Dam, surrounded by this natural beauty. Depending on the season and sunlight, the color of the water appears as deep green or bluish-green. This glaze also changes subtly depending on kiln temperature, placement, and airflow. While traditional Arita porcelain often avoids color variation in the same product, Kiji Arita embraces these variations as a defining feature, with delicate bluish-green gradations giving each piece unique character and expression. For cups, the exterior is finished with a matte texture, allowing the contrast with the glossy interior to be enjoyed, highlighting the tactile quality and visual depth of each piece. Designers: Sander Wassink, AOIMOK / Ikuko Ishizawa. Art Direction: Sander Wassink. Sander Wassink, based in Sectie-C, Eindhoven, Netherlands, which he co-founded with colleagues in 2009, graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2012, Department of Man and Living, and has been active as an artist, lecturer at the academy, and guest lecturer at prestigious institutions including the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture. Wassink’s work focuses not merely on the design of the product itself, but on the meaning of the creative process. His methods evolve organically, combining functionality and materials to create new forms and ideas.
