Catalog (927)

An exquisite Tea Bowl in silver infused hand-blown glass by Okushima Keiji enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hari-wan. The inside is lustrous in dark colors, while the outside is sand textures with patinated silver from where the precious metals have oxidized during the process of creation. It is 12 cm (4-3/4 inches) diameter, 9.5 cm (4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Okushima Keiji was born in Kyoto in 1977, and raised in rural Shiga prefecture just over the mountains from his birthplace. In 2000 he graduated Ritsumeikan University, and entered the Toyama Garasu Zokei Kenkyusho Glass Research Facility, graduating there in 2002. After working in a glass studio for several years, he established his own studio in Shiga in 2010. Since he has focused on the world of private exhibitions as his preferred venue. That said, he has been accepted into the Glass Craft Triennale in 2010, the National Craft Exhibition (Nihon Kurafuto Ten) in 2011, and received the Iwata prize at the Tableware Taishoten in 2012. 2013 saw his work in display in the Lansing At Gallery (US) and in Korea where he would be seen again in 2014 and 2015. From 2016 to 2019 his list of exhibitions is impressive, including exhibitions throughout Japan as well as New York and Korea.

An amorphic vessel in sheer white seems to slowly melt over the earthy crag supporting it in this contemporary ceramic sculpture by Fukuzawa Ion enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ishi no Ue Kaki (Vase on a rock). It is 10.5 x 8.5 x 15 cm (4 x 3-1/2 x 6 inches) and is in perfect condition, directly from the artist. According to Ion “along the Australian coastline at a sacred aboriginal sight looking at these bold, brown stone cliffs rising up from the sea, I was deeply moved. Those craggy rock faces find their way into my work…”
This series began with my graduation exhibition at the Design Institute. The different textures (the rugged base and the soft white vase) are fired separately and then glazed during the firing process to unite them.
Born in Tokyo in 1990, Fukuzawa Ion grew up shuffling between Japan and Sydney until he was 18 years old. The nature he was exposed to Down Under is an abundantly clear influence in his artwork. He studied at the University of New South Wales graduating with a BA in Ceramic Design in 2013. Post graduation he made a living producing vessels for restaurants for several years however longed for a more expressionist craft. He subsequently enrolled in the Tajimi Design Institute, graduating in 2020. Since his work has been exhibited in both his home countries of Japan and Australia, as well as featured in Greece, Italy, China and the United States.

White glaze like snow on a rock covers this Tsutsu-gata Chwawan by Hashimoto Tomonari enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shiro Raku Chawan. It is 11 .5 cm (4-1/2 inches) diameter, 10 cm (4 inches) tall and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Hashimoto Tomonari was born the son of a sculptor and has felt comfortable with the processes of creation since childhood. He graduated with a masters from the Kanazawa University of Art in March 2017, then relocated to Shigaraki. A visit to his humble home studio is eye opening. Although he comes across as shy in conversation, when you move on to the subject of art, he is all confidence. He was named a finalist for the Loewe Craft Prize in 2019 and is making international waves around the world. Work by him is held in the V&A in London, LACMA, Houston, University of Georgia, Hyogo Prefectural Ceramic Art Museum, The Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka and a large sculpture has recently been installed in his home prefecture of Wakayama.

A perfect complement to one of her tea bowls, here is a fresh water jar for the Matcha tea ceremony by Fukushima Hiroko enclosed in the originals signed wooden box titled Gosu-e Mizusashi. It is 15.5 cm (6 inches) diameter, 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition, with a black lacquered wooden lid.
Fukushima Hiroko was born in Kanagawa prefecture and graduated the Joshi Bijutsu Daigaku Art College Western Painting Department in 1967. Her interest moved to ceramics in 1987, and after nearly a decade of practice and working in other kilns, she opened established her own kiln in 1996. That year her work was awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. The following year would find her work accepted into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei-ten) and again awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. In 1999 she would be for the first time accepted into and subsequently awarded at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition. In both 2000 and 2002 she would garner prizes at the Seto Sometsuke Public Exhibition specializing in Blue and White ceramics, showing the respect her work had already gained among her peers. In 2007 her work was prized at the Nihon Shinsaku Kogei ten, and in 2010 was presented for public viewing at the MOA Museum of Art in Shizuoka. In 2013 she would begin exhibiting with the Tobi-ten of the Nihon Togei Biutsu Kyokai. Her work was purchased by the Imperial Household Agency in 2020. Following the death of her husband, and no longer able to carry the heavy pieces she had made alone, she retired from the ceramic world in 2023.

A seminal work in vivid blue decorated with an abstract floral spray by Kawaii Kanjiro dating from the height of his career enclosed in a wooden box signed by Koha. It is 20.6 x 13.5 x 10.5 cm (8 1/8 x 5 3/8 x 4 1/4 in) and in excellent condition.
Kawai Kanjiro was a true artist by nature, and together with Hamada Shoji, set a pattern of study for modern potters. After graduating the Tokyo School of Industrial Design, he came to study in Kyoto, eventually establishing his own kiln on the Gojo-no-Saka (It remains standing today and is a must see for anyone visiting Kyoto). Together with compatriots Hamada Shoji and Bernard Leach (with whom he traveled throughout Asia) established the modern Mingei movement in ceramics, the most influential ceramics movement in the 20th century. His research on glazes (of which he developed thousands over a lifetime of work) remains influential as well. Refusing to be limited to ceramics, Kanjiro also worked in bronze, wood and paint. An interesting final note on this unusual artist, when offered the title of Living National Treasure, an honor bestowed on very few, he declined.

An extreme photograph of a Hippopotamus mounted as a hanging panel by Horitani Shoichi signed on back and numbered 1/15. It is 52.5 x 35 x 3 cm (21 x 14 x 1 inches) and is in perfect condition, mounted on a wooden panel elevated from the wall.
After joining a printing company in 1989, he was responsible for print production management in the publishing industry. In 1996, he transitioned to an advertising agency, where he produced automotive catalogs. In 2019, after visiting CP+2019, he began exploring photography and creative work. He purchased a digital SLR camera and started learning photography techniques. In 2021, he enrolled in the Photography Course at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Kyoto University of the Arts, through its distance learning program. He graduated from the program in 2024. Currently, he is based in Chigasaki, Kanagawa, where he continues his creative activities.

Marbled porcelain in vivid color rises up in sheer walls from a ring of florals, a fabulous Chawan tea bowl by important contemporary female artist Murata Aya enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Mankai Chawan (In Full Bloom). It is 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter, 10 cm (4 inches) tall and in perfect condition, directly from the artist and created this year.
Murata Aya was born in Kyoto in 1979, and graduated the famous DODA Art School in 1998, before two years at the Kyoto College of Art, from which she graduated in 2000. She continued her studies at the Kyoto Prefectural Ceramics School, graduating in 2004. Since she has been exhibited widely both domestically and abroad, including The USA, Denmark, Finland, Taiwan, Italy, Korea and Belgium among others. She was selected for the prestigious Paramita Ceramic Art Taishoten in 2022. Works by her are held in the Korean Ceramic Foundation, the International Ceramic Museum in Faenze, the National Tainan University as well as the Yingge Ceramic Museum in Taiwan among others.

“Earth Vessel” (Daichi no Utsuwa) captivates with its rugged texture, as if a fragment of nature itself. Earth Vessel was created after contemplating how best to express the inherent power of the excavated clay—how to draw out and reveal its form to its fullest potential. It is molded using the fractured surface of stones, imbuing the clay with the enduring strength that stones have developed over millions of years. It is 25 x 20 x 38.5 cm (10 x 8 x 15 inches) and is in perfect condition, directly from the artist.
Baba Takashi, a ceramic artist specializing in Bizen ware, was born in 1983 as the eldest son of Bizen ware artist Shosuke Baba. He graduated from the Department of Sculpture at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2006. He has exhibited internationally, including solo and group exhibitions in the UK, China, the UAE, Taiwan, the Philippines, Germany, and Italy as well as featured at major events abroad. Starting with being selected for the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition in 2008, he was a finalist for the Itazaki Shigeo Ceramics Award at the International Ceramic Exhibition, Mino, in 2011. He continued to receive recognition, being selected for the Japan Traditional Craft Exhibition, Chugoku Branch, in 2015 and the Tea Utensils Exhibition in 2016. Last year, he won an award once again at the International Ceramic Exhibition, Mino. With his expertise in traditional Bizen pottery and international recognition, Baba continues to expand the global appreciation of Japanese ceramics.

A pair of beautiful porcelain cups buy Kitagawa Kazuki enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kasane Iro Me Gurasu. The artist creates each of these cups individually by pouring liquified porcelain into a mold, swirling it around, allowing it to dry slightly, then pouring it out and adding another layer of differing color. After removing it from the mold and drying, each piece is hand etched to reveal the various layers of color in vibrant beams like sunlight through a rainbow. Each is roughly 7.5 cm (3 inches) diameter, 12 cm (5 inches) tall and in perfect condition, directly from the artist.
Kitagawa Kazuki was born in Kyoto in 1991, and graduated the design department of Seika University in 2014 before moving for advanced studies at the Tajimi Municipal Ceramics Research Facility where he graduated in 2016. He now lives and works in Tajimi, and has developed several lines of intriguing pottery.

A series of uneven shattered white square tubes joined as a unit by Takeuchi Kozo (also Kouzo) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Modern Remains, Lance. It is 46 x 14.5 x 7 cm (roughly 18 inches long) and in excellent condition.
For the white porcelain series, I create the foundational columns by casting. When working solely with porcelain, I assemble the pieces before breaking them. When incorporating different materials, I break the pieces to some degree before assembling the parts. The diameter of the tubes is determined by my intuition based on the size I want to express, drawing inspiration from Western ruins like the Parthenon that I saw during my student days. As I shatter a perfectly balanced form with a hammer, I remove unnecessary parts and carve out the shape I envision. The consistent factor in my work is that I rely not on precise calculations but on my intuition. I aspire to create what I imagine and convey an overwhelming beauty that leaves a lasting impact when people see my pieces. I find beauty and intrigue in the way my works break, weather, and crumble, which links to Japan's concept of wabi-sabi. My obsession with smooth white comes from my decision to pursue a life of creation and ceramics, leading me to the idea of making everything pure white. Starting with white allows me to make my work emblematic and focuses on the form.
Takeuchi Kozo (also Kouzo) was born in Hyogo prefecture in 1977, and graduated the Osaka University of Arts in 2001 before advancing his studies at the Tajimi Municipal Ceramic Design Institute where he graduated in 2003. Beside an extensive list of solo exhibits in Japan he has been subject of exhibition in Paris and Boston as well as the Hyogo prefectural Ceramics Museum in 2024. His work decorates the Ritz Carlton Hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto, The Peninsula and Palace Hotels in Tokyo, the Mandarin Oriental in Shanghai, and the flagship Hoshinoya Resorts in both Tokyo and Kyoto among others. He is held in the collections of the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, Museum of Ceramic Art in Hyogo, Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Museum Sernuschi in Paris among others.

An extreme close-up of the colorful patterns on a Reticulated Giraffe mounted as a hanging panel by Horitani Shoichi signed on back and numbered 1/15. It is 54.5 x 36 x 3 cm (21-1/2 x 14-1/2 x 1 inches) and is in perfect condition, mounted on a wooden panel elevated from the wall.
After joining a printing company in 1989, he was responsible for print production management in the publishing industry. In 1996, he transitioned to an advertising agency, where he produced automotive catalogs. In 2019, after visiting CP+2019, he began exploring photography and creative work. He purchased a digital SLR camera and started learning photography techniques. In 2021, he enrolled in the Photography Course at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Kyoto University of the Arts, through its distance learning program. He graduated from the program in 2024. Currently, he is based in Chigasaki, Kanagawa, where he continues his creative activities.

An architectural form in rust tinged with clouds of blue by Hashimoto Tomonari enclosed in the original signed wooden box, as always titled “Untitled”. It is 24 x 20 x 19 cm (9-1/2 x 8 x 7-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Hashimoto Tomonari was born in Wakayama the son of a sculptor in 1990 and has felt comfortable with the processes of creation since childhood. He graduated with a PHD from the Kanazawa University of Art in 2017, then relocated to Shigaraki. He was named a finalist for the Loewe Craft Prize in 2019 and is making international waves around the world being shown in such faraway places as Paris, London, Basel, Moscow, New York Hong Kong and Miami. Work by him is held in the V&A in London, LACMA, Houston MFA, University of Georgia, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Hyogo Prefectural Ceramic Art Museum, LOEWE Foundation in Madrid, KOREA Ceramic Foundation, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka and a large sculpture has recently been installed in his home prefecture of Wakayama.

A spectacular large basin in blue and white by Fukushima Hiroko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gosu-e Ao-mon Hachi exhibited at the 63rd Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition. It comes with a copy of the catalog in which it is published as well as the original label from the exhibition. The bowl is 35 cm (14 inches) diameter, 19 cm (just less than 8 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist. According to Hiroko: The clay itself is like a canvas for glazing. The Kasuri pattern is expressed by repeatedly applying and scraping away three different types of Gosu. The depth of the glaze and inflections of the shades of indigo recall the colors and softness of textiles.
Fukushima Hiroko was born in Kanagawa prefecture and graduated the Joshi Bijutsu Daigaku Art College Western Painting Department in 1967. Her interest moved to ceramics in 1987, and after nearly a decade of practice and working in other kilns, she opened established her own kiln in 1996. That year her work was awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. The following year would find her work accepted into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogei-ten) and again awarded at the Kanagawa Prefectural Art Exhibition. In 1999 she would be for the first time accepted into and subsequently awarded at the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition. In both 2000 and 2002 she would garner prizes at the Seto Sometsuke Public Exhibition specializing in Blue and White ceramics, showing the respect her work had already gained among her peers. In 2007 her work was prized at the Nihon Shinsaku Kogei ten, and in 2010 was presented for public viewing at the MOA Museum of Art in Shizuoka. In 2013 she would begin exhibiting with the Tobi-ten of the Nihon Togei Biutsu Kyokai. Her work was purchased by the Imperial Household Agency in 2020. Following the death of her husband, and no longer able to carry the heavy pieces she had made alone, she retired from the ceramic world in 2023.

Pink tinges he white pinholed glaze of this Tsutsu-gata Chawan by Hashimoto Tomonari enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shiro Raku Chawan. It is 11 .5 cm (4-1/2 inches) diameter, 10 cm (4 inches) tall and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Hashimoto Tomonari was born the son of a sculptor and has felt comfortable with the processes of creation since childhood. He graduated with a masters from the Kanazawa University of Art in March 2017, then relocated to Shigaraki. A visit to his humble home studio is eye opening. Although he comes across as shy in conversation, when you move on to the subject of art, he is all confidence. He was named a finalist for the Loewe Craft Prize in 2019 and is making international waves around the world. Work by him is held in the V&A in London, LACMA, Houston, University of Georgia, Hyogo Prefectural Ceramic Art Museum, The Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka and a large sculpture has recently been installed in his home prefecture of Wakayama.

A series of uneven shattered white square tubes joined as a unit by Takeuchi Kozo (also Kouzo) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Modern Remains. It is 24 x 11 x 10.5 cm (roughly 10 inches long) and in excellent condition.
Takeuchi Kouzo was born in Hyogo prefecture in 1977, and graduated the Osaka University of Arts in 2001 before advancing his studies at the Tajimi Municipal Ceramic Design Institute where he graduated in 2003. Beside an extensive list of solo exhibits in Japan he has been subject of exhibition in Paris and Boston as well as the Hyogo prefectural Ceramics Museum in 2024. His work decorates the Ritz Carlton Hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto, The Peninsula and Palace Hotels in Tokyo, the Mandarin Oriental in Shanghai, and the flagship Hoshinoya Resorts in both Tokyo and Kyoto among others. He is held in the collections of the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, Museum of Ceramic Art in Hyogo, Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Museum Sernuschi in Paris among others.

An extreme photograph of the exquisite feathering of a Shoebill Stork mounted as a hanging panel by Horitani Shoichi signed on back and numbered 1/15. It is 36.5 x 54.5 x 3 cm (14-1/2 x 1421-1/2 x 1 inches) and is in perfect condition, mounted on a wooden panel elevated from the wall.
After joining a printing company in 1989, he was responsible for print production management in the publishing industry. In 1996, he transitioned to an advertising agency, where he produced automotive catalogs. In 2019, after visiting CP+2019, he began exploring photography and creative work. He purchased a digital SLR camera and started learning photography techniques. In 2021, he enrolled in the Photography Course at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Kyoto University of the Arts, through its distance learning program. He graduated from the program in 2024. Currently, he is based in Chigasaki, Kanagawa, where he continues his creative activities.

A white porcelain cylinder decorated with wavering lines of mustard and milk colored beads like seads taking flight from a field of late summer grasses by Okayasu Manami enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kusaki (vegetation). It is 25.5 cm (over 10 inches) tall, 9.5 cm (just less than 4 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Okayasu Manami was born in Fukui prefecture in 1984, and graduated the Kyoto Saga Art College in 2007. She held her first solo exhibition at the prestigious Takashimaya in Kyoto in 2009, the first of many group and solo exhibitions around Japan and abroad over the last 15 years. She was selected for the Arita International Ceramics Exhibition in 2018. In 2024, she also exhibited at Ceramic Brussels in Belgium, receiving significant international recognition

A wavering elevated form in poisonous mushroom colors by Neriage master Murata Aya enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Hasu no Ha (Lotus leaf). It is 18.7 cm (7-1/2 inches) diameter, 13.5 cm (5-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition, directly from the artist this winter.
Murata Aya was born in Kyoto in 1979, and graduated the famous DODA Art School in 1998, before two years at the Kyoto College of Art, from which she graduated in 2000. She continued her studies at the Kyoto Prefectural Ceramics School, graduating in 2004. Since she has been exhibited widely both domestically and abroad, including The USA, Denmark, Finland, Taiwan, Italy, Korea and Belgium among others. She was selected for the prestigious Paramita Ceramic Art Taishoten in 2022. Works by her are held in the Korean Ceramic Foundation, the International Ceramic Museum in Faenze, the National Tainan University as well as the Yingge Ceramic Museum in Taiwan among others.