Artist
Shoji Hamada
Japan
The living national treasure who refused to sign his work.
He was one of the most famous potters in the world—and he never signed a single pot.
Shoji Hamada was designated a 'Living National Treasure' by Japan in 1955. But Hamada rejected the idea of the artist-as-genius. Influenced by Yanagi Sōetsu's mingei philosophy, he believed true beauty emerged from anonymous craftsmanship. So he never signed his work. He settled in Mashiko, a humble pottery village, and spent his life making functional ware. His signature style—bold brush decoration, earthy ash glazes, confident form—emerged from thousands of repeated gestures.
What would your work look like if you stopped signing it?