Vintage is Alive
Surviving objects shine our present day
Shino Takeda, a ceramic artist from Kyushu, Japan, based in New York, is famous among her acquaintances as a vintage enthusiast. Shino’s loft in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, has been a museum of taste for over a decade. Carpets and cushions from Morocco, India, and Turkey, straw baskets from the Yanomami tribe of Amazon, a 1980s boombox-style cassette tape recorder, and a tea table with ceramic tiles assembled by her, and all of them have a private gallery atmosphere. The average age of these items is over 50.
Shino in her living room The objects that fill your place are very colorful and harmonious. Where do you get all these things?
Usually, my friends give it to me when they move, or people around me who know my taste gift it to me. My ex-husband's aunt is an antique collector, so I inherited a lot from her. Once, she found out that I like vintage goods and invited me to her warehouse in Chelsea to bring whatever I like. I picked up some silverware and she said, “Ahhh-, Shino, you have nice eyes! I’m sorry but they are my precious (Laughs).” Most of my clothes are vintage items I bought online or offline, or they were made by designer friends.
Do you have any tips on finding good vintage items?
Most of all, I think you need to know yourself well. My vintages are products made before the 1980s. Rather than a minimalist design, I like a sense of volume and freestyle. I do not limit myself to one or two colors but choose iridescent and various colors. Even if I find a very pretty item in a vintage shop, I put it down firmly if it doesn't suit my place. I know what I like and don't like, so 10 minutes for shopping is enough.
I heard that your grandfather and mother also collected traditional Japanese ceramics and works of art. Have you inherited your strong taste from them?
My mother was a strict Japanese teacher, and my grandfather, whom I had never seen in person, was a prosecutor. They both loved arts very much, and I heard that my grandfather particularly enjoyed collecting antique plates. My name is also taken from one of her mother's favorite traditional Japanese ceramic styles, shino yu (志 ノ 釉). It is usually characterized by a white glaze with burnt red marks and small pores like air bubbles. My mother, who had prepared dinner since I was a child, always made me choose which dish to put on a plate. Near the front door, there were flowers in four-season porcelain vases, traditional Japanese calligraphy works, incense, etc. All of this reflects my mother's taste, and I was able to develop a sense of beauty for the beautiful and traditional at an early age. Also, the fact that I grew up in an environment where I was grateful for and given meaning to even the smallest things, such as driving a car for three hours to eat famous soba noodles or waking up at 4 in the morning without a plan and going to see the sunrise together, also affected my taste and work. Even if it seems crazy. (laugh)
When you were 20, you flew to New York, where you had no connection. After working as a manager at ‘Blue Ribbon Sushi’ for ten years, you suddenly made a debut as a ceramic artist one day. Did something happen in the meantime?
All three of my close friends died from a sudden illness or accident in one year. Those tough times felt like a warning that life is short, and tomorrow is not what it will be. I wanted to start doing what I always wanted to do, and then I thought of metal, glass, and ceramics. It was August 1, 2010, and it was an extremely hot day. I chose ceramic because I thought it was harsh that metal and glass had to use fire directly, and the work's success or failure was decided instantly. I became a full-time artist two years later, starting with the day I participated in a one-day class run by a Japanese potter.
Although you had never studied pottery in Kyushu or New York, you became a ceramic artist in the spotlight for your unique style.
The times seem to have come. It was a time when Brooklyn artists, handicrafts, and women artists were in the spotlight in New York. It was also a period when the desire among consumers for things that tell a story or move people rather than mass-produced products in the 1990s was growing. Also, in the Western world at the time, the thing “Japanese” was a favorable factor. I consider myself half Japanese and half New Yorker. In my works, the free atmosphere, diversity, and energy of New York City are added to the beauty of Japanese traditions that I naturally saw and learned in Kyushu. However, in fact, neither the grand title of a potter nor going to a famous art fair means much to me. Just as I bring my grandfather's old plates that I have never seen before and use them in New York, if even one of my many works is used for someone else's generation somewhere in the world, or goes around the vintage market, nothing will be as valuable.
Is such a mind the reason why you fell in love with vintage?
Right. Except for IKEA products, almost everything in my place is vintage or something like that mood. The silk shirt I'm wearing now is also vintage, but I don't like shiny clothes, so I put it in the washing machine and washed it. This table also had a broken leg, but it was given new life with this ridiculous leg in the shape of a foot cast in plaster by an artist friend. In this crude bowl that my grandfather collected, I put some snacks. It is estimated to have been made around the 4th century.
What is your favorite vintage item in your place?
It always changes (laughs). These days, I like ceramic chopstick holders the most. Other than that, clothes made by designer friends and Kintsugi 金継ぎ products. In the early days, I worked on Kintsugi to restore antique bowls in the East and the West. Kintsugi products are by no means cheap because they go through a careful process of finding beautiful and perfectly broken pieces, painstakingly working for a long time, and then finishing them with gold.
Nevertheless, for those who want to have Kintsugi works rather than buying a new plate, it means more than an object. It could be because it was given to you by a loved one, or because it contains a special memory, or it was simply done because of a love of the product. I don't use these Kintsugi sake cups myself because I'm not a good drinker, but I recommend them to my friends instead.
How do you care for and clean all these products?
I don't really do it. (Laughs) Like today, when I have an interview or when my friends come by, I wipe them with a hand rag. Most of the scratches on this table were also made by me. For some, it may be a burden to fix right away, but I think that these flaws are traces of glory that are naturally added by using things ‘well’ for their original purpose. If you look closely, the wooden chair next to the sofa is all covered with scratches. These are from my cat, that passed away. Since it’s the cat’s nature, I let her scratch as much as she wanted. Now, I can think of precious memories with my cat just by looking at the chair.
What’s your favorite vintage shop?
Williamsburg's 'Mother of Junk'. It is really fun to turn your eyes and find your jewelry among thousands of ‘junk(!)’ such as furniture, kitchenware, lighting, LPs, etc. I usually buy clothes from online stores in Canada, but I also love ‘Harold and Maude Vintage,’ a local store run by a couple who love vintage clothes.
What would you say to those who haven't yet discovered vintage charm?
Everything has a light side and a dark side, just like each of us. Some objects may be turned away because of small scratches, but others may be unique objects that bear time traces. Above all, being able to use the old items that survived in a useful way, you will be grateful for the object themselves. Not to mention contributing to a sustainable environment!
Shino Takeda @shinotakeda
Editor @_formiro
Photographer @andrewchalence
