General Categories of Forms Used

Mr. Ngan was extraordinarily creative, and hence you will find a tremendous variety in the forms of his work. What follows is a very broad classification meant to help people who are interested in his pottery discern between them.

Tea Bowls

Tea was first brought to Japan from China around the 9th century and by the 12th century large-scale tea cultivation began. As the use of tea by monks trickled down to daimyo and samurai, it was adapted into a cultural and religious practices - hence the genesis of the tea ceremony.

The Japanese word for the tea ceremony, chanoyu, literally means “hot water for tea.” The tea ceremony is a highly ritualized practice where tea is consumed in a specialized space with codified procedures. The act of preparing and drinking matcha is a choreographed art requiring many years of study to master. During the ceremony, the emphasis is on the interaction between the host, guests, and the ceramics used in this context—tea bowls, water jars, vases, tea containers, etc — functional tools valued for their practicality yet also as artworks admired for their aesthetics. 

Central in all of this is the tea bowl - chawan, for its importance in the tea ceremony and its deeply cultural significance  to Japanese culture. Entire books have been written on the chawan as they have been prized and revered for centuries and can fetch astronomical amounts if old enough and made by the right master. As part of the tea ceremony it is required that the guests examine, appreciate, and sometimes discuss the chawan after drinking from it. 

Wayne Ngan’s chawan are fine examples of work that would fit in at a formal chanoyu. They are finely made and well acquainted with the wabi-sabi aesthetic prized by collectors and connoisseurs. Please enjoy these excellent examples of his work...

Bottles

Mr. Ngan's bottles are an interesting area of his work and testimony to his creativity. There are many different variations but the forms are unmistakably his. Sometimes the body is thrown and then hand shaped. Other pieces are slab built. He placed various necks on top - sometimes round, some square and some rectangular. The examples I've seen over the years vary in depth from quite flat and disk-like to wide and bulbous. 

Mizusashi - Water Jars

The water container, or mizusashi is a large lidded jar that held fresh water used to rinse the chawan (tea bowl), clean the bamboo whisk,  and also fill the kettle in preparation for making green tea. The important role and prominent size of mizusashi make them one of the more visible and prized of the tea ceremony objects. Mr. Ngan made many variations of this form, examples of which are shown below...

Slab Trays

Mr. Ngan created many versions of this tray. The most common size is a 9" x 9" slab of thick clay with four hand formed feet on the bottom. He also made smaller versions (6 1/2"x6 1/2") and large versions (14"x14"). He typically stamped his chop underneath in the centre. The variety of ways he decorated this standard form is vast but a few samples are presented below. For more information on this particular form please see this post.

Plates and Chargers

A common form in an endless variety of sizes and decor. Examples of platters over 15" in diameter are considered less common.

Traditional Forms

This is a category hard to concisely define but certain pieces have a distinct Eastern or Asian influence (see below). Mr. Ngan had a personal library of some well thumbed books he studied regarding ancient pottery from Korea, China, Japan, etc. He also travelled to Asia during his lifetime and incorporated what he learned into his creations. These are also influences the Leach/Hamada potters absorbed and reflected in their work. Mr. Ngan himself also stated how he related to Shoji Hamada's work during his lifetime.

Contemporary and Experimental Forms

Later in his life Mr. Ngan produced some wonderful contemporary forms which was a departure from his earlier work. Many more examples of these can be found online from a show he did at the Karg Gallery in New York City and on the Wayne Ngan website. Many of these works use different glazes and elongated forms. Well balanced shapes on tiny base is another recurring theme. To create such challenging forms requires the hand of a master and to do so at an advanced age is again testimony to his skill. 

Vases

One could create a wonderful collection of Mr. Ngan's pottery with vases alone. The variety of size and form is endless. Vases are a pretty standard fare for most studio potters and he created them continuously for over 50 years.

Jars

Not as common as some other forms he made, Mr. Ngan's small lidded boxes are always a pleasure to hold. The lids fit expertly making them functional as well. Again, the variety is what he made is impressive.

Lamps

Lamps are among the rarest pottery forms Mr. Ngan created. To date I have only seen a few. There are two types he made shown below. Either type is considered a rare find.
This is an example of an early lamp, thrown solely for the purpose of being a lamp as evidenced by the hole at the bottom for the electrical cord to feed through. The signature indicates it was made in the early 1960's, perhaps an art school creation.
The other type of lamps were conversions. This seems to have been a popular trend among potters in the 1970s. For these, a small hole was drilled out at the bottom to accommodate the electrical cord. This took considerable skill and nerve as the piece was prone to irreparable damage if not done properly. The pot also had to be thrown in a way as to accommodate the pieces in the lamp kit to ensure a close fit. This example was made in the late 1970s, a twin to an exhibition piece he made for B.C. Ceramics '78. It bears all the best hallmarks of his work - manipulated shape, size and hakeme brushwork.