This is a group exhibition of 5 artists and 1 artist group who work in ceramic in Kyoto, curated by Mikako Sawada, the author of “Kyoto Utsuwa Sampo”(published by Mitsumura Suiko Shoin), a guide to ceramic art in Kyoto.

This exhibition presents the original and sophisticated techniques and viewpoints of young ceramic artists through their works that move beyond the boundary between sculpture and ceramic. Their personal and contemporary expressions do not fit into the conventional genre of craft or relative evaluation in the history of ceramic art. The approaches vary, but these artists have some characteristics in common: the sense of intimacy of the materials that are close to our daily lives, and the unique sculptural expressions based on its history developed in Japan. In Kyoto, which has the history of “Kyo-yaki”, there have always been creative experiments in ceramic art. In these artists’ works, we can see the spirit of “Kyo-yaki”, where ceramics crossed the border to art, by appropriating different genres such as painting or design.

- Mikako Sawada

About the Artists and Their Art Works

Aki Katayama : Born in 1979. She graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts.
Katayama' s works have rift-like lines, which seems to be drawing. She applies pigment to the surface of flatted clay and repeats the process, then carves the works out like sculptures. The lines are like rift, annual ring of trees, and ripple, and the forms are lively and seem to be some animal imitating nature, as well as being quiet. She calls this original technique “Sekisou-kurinukide”.

Kaoru Taniuchi : Born in 1983. She graduated from Kyoto Seika University.
Taniuchi' s works' waving, warping, and spreading, and tender forms are created by carving on the draped sheet of clay. The sinuous surface with depth that looks like leaf veins has lines carved one by one. The glaze covers it like stain spreading on fabric. Taniuchi, who learned textile before creating ceramic, dyes the ceramic in her particular ways, and applies the techniques and effects of textile to ceramic.

Nao Hara : Born in 1984. She graduated from Kyoto Seika University, and studied at Kyoto Municipal Industrial Research Institute.
Hara' s works have cruel and allegorical motifs of mysterious creatures with rabbits, which she takes forms from figures she picked up from the street. She paints the surface with “disgusting” feminine pink and chemical blue colors. She chooses the uncomfortable elements intentionally, and keeps the disharmony throughout the process, reversing the uncomfortable to the punkish “scary but cute” world.

Shohei Fujita : Born in 1968. He graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts, and studied at Edinburgh College Of Art with the fellowship of British Council.
Unique textures like ground glass and spotted patterns are created by baking twice with different temperatures and cutting the glaze. Fujita' s works have the mysterious expressions of inside of the glaze and the organic forms by carving carefully. We can see unseen expressions of ceramic art from his experimental techniques that are not simply “form, glaze, and bake”.

fujita+ chisato (the unit of Shohei Fujita and Chisato Yamano) : Chisato Yamano was born in 1977. She graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts.
Thin, yet deep lines are created by damascening slipware by scratching with needles. These strong underglaze paintings created are joined by the colorful overglaze paintings. The rich storytelling motifs have intimate and sensual world of painting that goes beyond “painting for ceramic”. They may be the unique expressions for ceramic, the familiar and touchable sculpture.

Satoshi Masuda : Born in 1973. He graduated from Kyoto University of Education.
Masuda' s works embrace both warmness of Japanese craft and sophistication of Northern Europe craft, and fresh yet deep forms like Lucie Rie' s, whom Masuda admires. He employs a technique called “shinogi”, which involves carving patterns on the formed work with lathe. It is similar to the geometric pattern of “Onta-yaki”of “Mingei”. Each pattern carved by hand is smooth and warm, and goes well with the flavor of glaze, giving the work nice presence in daily lives.