Catalog: Artists: Ceramics: Pottery (616)

Overlapping crescents in pale colors decorate the textured white clay of this tall vase by Kamoda Taro enclosed in the original signed wooden box dated 1989 and titled Kaku (With Corners). It is 12 x 15.5 x 32 cm (5 x 6 x 12-1/2 inches) and in excellent condition, hand signed on the base in a colorful cartouche.
Kamoda Taro was born in Mashiko the eldest son of legendary ceramic artist Kamoda Shoji. The day to day of the family kiln was forced upon him with the early death of his father in 1983. He truly inherited his mentors penchant for innovation, and is constantly evolving new forms, patterns and glaze techniques. Eschewing the world of competitions, he has focused exhibitions in private galleries since his first solo exhibition in 1986.

Faint crackling permeates the vibrant green glaze on this sake flask by Living National Treasure Nakajima Hiroshi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled simply Tokkuri. It is 12.5 cm tall, and in excellent condition.
Nakajima Hiroshi (1941-2018) was born in Hiroshima, and established himself as an independent potter Yano, Saga Prefecture in 1969, choosing to specialize in the challenging field of Celadon ware. That same year he was first accepted into the Nihon Dento Kogeiten National Traditional Crafts Exhibition, and in 1977 he would be awarded for the first time at that prestigious venue. In 1981 he was awarded the Prime Ministers prize in the Nishi Nihon Togeiten (West Japan Ceramic Exhibition). This was followed two years later by the most prestigious Japan Ceramics Society award in 1982 (He would be awarded their gold prize in 2006). In 1985 he would travel to China to study pottery and excavate at ancient kiln sites. He was named an intangible cultural asset of Saga prefecture in 1990. After many more he would finally be named a Living National Treasure (Mukei Bunkazai) in 2007, and received the 65th West Japan Order of Cultural Merit.

A vibrant image of a gourd filled with colorful sages at play by Shigemori Yoko. The surrounding black ink is like a Zen painting, immediate and spontaneous; struck out in quick dramatic strokes. By comparison the dynamic figures contained within appear to be painted in light, leisurely strokes with daps of soft color. This is one of several ink and colored sketches we received from her estate and had mounted as scrolls. They play games, practice calligraphy, enjoy tea and conversation, one is even flying a kite! Ink with soft colors on paper, it has been freshly prepared in a blue cloth border terminating in celadon, rollers. The scroll is 46.3 x 196 cm and is in excellent condition.
Shigemori Yoko (1953-2021) was born in Kagoshima. Yoko came to Kyoto where she initially studied painting at the Kyoto Tankidai Art College, then moved to ceramics at the Kyoto Municipal Art University where she studied traditional pottery techniques under Kondo Yutaka before entering advanced courses under Yagi Kazuo, graduating in 1979. Her first solo exhibitions were held while still a student, at Gallery Iteza in Kyoto. She eschewed the world of competitive exhibitions in favor of the intimacy of private galleries, and her list of solo exhibitions is expansive. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 and 1988 at the Nihon Gendai Togeiten. She was one of five artists featured in Toh, volume 76, The first issue dedicated to Kyoto Potters. Toh was at the time the most in depth survey of important contemporary potters published in 1993. Her work is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A Capricious sculpture like a colorful head towel removed yet retaining its shape by pioneering 20th century female artist Matsuda Yuriko signed on the base and enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kinrande Utsuwa. It is 9 x 7 x 5 1/2 Inches (22 x 17 x 14 cm) and in excellent condition.
Matsuda Yuriko was born in Ashiya, Hyōgō Prefecture in 1943nd lives and works in Oshino, Yamanashi Prefecture. Yuriko is an avid exhibitor; it is a wonder she has time to do any work at all. Both within Japan (Nihon Togei Ten, Gendai Togei Ten etc.) and without she has an impressive list of exhibitions in a host of countries. She received the Yagi Kazuo prize in 1986 among many others. According to the book “Touch Fire”, Many of the women artists included in this exhibition are independent innovators who work outside the constraints of Japanese ceramic traditions. However, several of the artists, including Matsuda Yuriko, continue to use traditional techniques with skills that rival, if not exceed, those of their predecessors, and in doing so they create new and challenging contemporary ceramic Sytg art. They reinterpret the traditional decorative technique for porcelain vessels, called iro-e over-glaze enameling, and transposes its motifs onto nonfunctional objects. Her beautifully enameled iro-e porcelain sculptures are witty odes to two favorite subjects: the female body and Mount Fuji. For more information on this artist and examples of her work see the books Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, Fired with Passion by Beatrice Chang and Samuel Lurie. Also see Contemporary Clay, Japanese Ceramics for the New Century based on the Museum of Fine Arts Boston exhibition or Soaring Voices, Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists (2010).

A vibrant double vase covered in signature naïve designs by Yamashita Moe enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Morinoyoru (Night in the forest). It is 12 x 24.5 x 27 cm (5 x 10 x 11 inches) and is in excellent condition. Her work is filled with joie de vie, and one cannot escape a smile when viewing it. Even the box is painted with a bright green silhouette of the vase, titled and signed in pink!
Yamashita Moe graduated the Kyoto Zokei University of Art in 2004. Her work has been accepted into a number of important Expositions including the Asahi Modern Craft Exhibition and the Rimpa Forever exhibition held at the Museum of Kyoto. She has nearly a dozen solo exhibitions, quite surprising for a young artist, and has participated in more than 30 group exhibitions. According to the artist, “I create works of organic form based on images of plants, creatures, and the scenery of my travels. I strive to make vessels that are fun and make the viewer happy.”

Silver ray-skin texture covers this fabulous Katakuchi sake pot by Ichikawa Toru enclosed in the original signed wooden box. OMG a chilled Daiginjo served with this would have to taste like a million bucks! Like a footed softball, it is 12 cm (4-3/4 inches) diameter, ever so slightly shorter although it appears to be taller than it is wide.
One of my favorite artists, the innovative Ichikawa Toru was born in Tokyo in 1973. In 2015 he established his current studio in Bizen after 4 years of apprenticeship under another Bizen Outsider, Kakurezaki Ryuichi. He has since developed quite a following, with his shows selling out often within hours.

A gorgeous Mimitsuki handled vase with flaring rim covered in in running ash glaze and encrustations of dark embers by Tanimoto Yo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Iga Hana-ire. It is 26 cm (10-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition. This is a superb example of the traditional Momoyama aesthetic.
Born in 1958 the son of Iga potter Tanimoto Kosei, Yo was raised among the kilns and has always had his hands in clay. He first began exhibiting in 1982, and in 1984 moved to Europe where he studied oil painting and sculpture (in Spain), and set up a pottery studio outside Paris. After returning to Japan he set up his own studio in 1988, working both in Japan and and Spain. Since his works have been exhibited widely, both domestically and abroad in New York, London, Barcelona and Paris.

Wow I need that! is all I could say the first time I saw this piece by Furutani Taketoshi while visiting the Churokuen Kiln early this year. The tendrils of natural ash glaze wrap around the simplified form like the roots of some ancient Shinboku (God Tree). It is unpretentious, but stands out clearly as a masterpiece by this very talented young potter. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen Yu Yohen Hanaire (Shigaraki Natural Ash Glazed Kiln Altered Vase). The vessel is 16 cm (6-1/4 inches) diameter, 25.5 cm (10 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Furutani Taketoshi was born the son of master craftsman Furutani Hirofumi in 1974, graduating the Shigaraki Industrial High School Ceramics department in 1992 before entering the Shiga prefectural Ceramics Research Facility studying wheel technique, graduating the following year. He then did a year apprenticeship at a pottery before re-entering for a second course at the Research Facility, graduating in 1995. From that year he returned to the family kiln, receiving the family tradition from both his grandfather Furutani Churoku and father Furutani Hirofumi. Subverting the self, he makes simple, organic pots which have a timeless quality, very much rooted in the now, but paying homage to the traditions past down through the ages. He was named a Designated Traditional Craftsman (Dento Kogeishi) in 2013. He has exhibited with the Nihon Dento Kogeiten among others, and still works closely with his father at the family kiln.

An iconic Shigaraki vase by Otani Shiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Henko which epitomizes the artists philosophy of relying on the purity of clay, form, and natural colors born from the conflagration over overt decorative techniques. Here dark colors scorch the base where it was buried in the embers, while pale thin ash dusts the austere terracotta clay blasted over the shoulders with a rich coat of ocher ash. It is 22 cm (9 inches) diameter, 25.5 cm (10 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Otani Shiro was born in Shigaraki in 1936 and graduated the Prefectural School in the ceramics department in 1956, which he followed up with 4 years studying decorating techniques under Morioka Yutaro. He then moved to Kyoto where he studied at the Municipal Ceramics Research Facility, where he trained under Kiyomizu Kyubei, Shofu Eichi and Uchida Kunio before returning to Shigaraki to yet further his studies in design. He garnered his first award at the Shiga Prefectural Art Exhibition in 1962, as well as the Governor’s prize at the National Rodosha Bijutsu-Ten Exhibition. He took a position with an industrial kiln in Shigaraki in 1963, and began potting in his free time, exhibiting and being awarded at the Asahi Togeiten among others. In 1968, he left his position at the kiln, and in 1969 was first accepted into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten). In 1973 he established his own kilns in Shigaraki, both an Anagama submerged kiln and a climbing kiln, and began learning from future Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi. From there he participated in the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National crafts Exhibition) as well as innumerable private exhibitions both domestic and International, and was named an Intangible Cultural Asset of Shigaraki in 1990. His work is held in The Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Fogg Art Gallery of Harvard as well as the Morikami Museum and Smithsonian among others. For an in depth look at this potter see the article by Rob Barnard in Ceramics Monthly volume 39 (Summer 1991).

A Yuteki Tenmoku Koro with wooden lid surmounted by a stone finial by Kimura Moriyasu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 5 inches (12.5 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.
Kimura Moriyasu (b. 1935) studied pottery initially at the Kyoto Ceramics Research Facility (which turned out such masters as Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro) and then under his brother Kimura Morikazu. He is well known for his use of crawling and oil spot glazes. He exhibits with the Gendai Nihon Togeiten and Nihon Dento Kogeiten among others. He has been awarded the Kyoto Prefectural Order of Cultural Merit (2004). Work by him is held in the Britush Museum, Boston Museum, Dallas Museum and Ise Shrine among others.

Gold gleams in subtle wisps on the rim, and silver shimmers through tarnished metal glaze on this dark vessel by by Sakata Jinnai enclosed in the original signed wood box titled Saishoku Mizusashi. An intriguing combination of glazes over a modernist form, enigmatic patterns like fletching cascade down the dark sides, and iridescent clouds glimmer subtly on the surface with tinges of blue showing through about the shoulder. Amazing when moving in the light, it is very difficult to capture this in photographs. It is 15 cm (5-3/4 inches) diameter, 18.5 cm (7-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Sakata Jinnai was born in Tokyo in 1943, and began as an apprentice under the legendary Kamoda Shoji in 1964, establishing his first kiln in 1966. His work was selected for display at the Nihon Dento Kogei Shinsaku Ten (National Traditional New Crafts Exhibition) in 1969, and the following year the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition). In 1971 his work could be seen at the first Nihon Togeiten National Ceramics Exhibition. This event would tour the United States and Canada as well. Two years later he would be seen there again, and this time the show would tour South America. In 1977 he would move away from the competitive world of mass exhibitions and focus more on private galleries. He was the first artist selected for display at the newly opened Takashimaya Gallery in New York in 1993. Work by him is held in the collection of the British Museum, Rockefeller Foundation, Sakuma Museum, Waseda Universty Museum, as well as some of Japans holiest sites such as Ise Shrine, Izumo Shrine, Takachiho Shrine, Yakushiji in Nara and both Kodaiji and Enryakuji Temples in Kyoto. Not limited to clay, he also works in painting, Washi hand made paper (from 1995), and glass (from 2000).

A red Sado Mumyoi-yaki Tokkuri (Shuchu) by Living National Treasure Ito Sekisui V enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 5 inches (13 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Ito Sekisui V (Yoichi) is the 14th generation of the family to follow in the pottery tradition. His father, Ito Sekisui IV, died when Yoichi was only 19. Upon completion of studies at Kyoto University in 1966, he returned to his hometown of Sado to succeed the lineage. His work was displayed for the first time at the Nihon Dento Kogeiten (National Traditional d Crafts Exhibition) in 1972. The following year he won first prize at the Nihon Togeiten (Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition). In the 1980s, Sekisui V started to create neriage works as well as his family's traditional mumyoi-yaki pieces, and in 2003 he was appointed a Living National Treasure for his work in these fields.

A solid brick of Shigaraki clay sculpted and torn covered in natural ash glaze by Fujimoto Hide enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Katamari (Mass). It is 24 x 16.5 x 17.5 cm (9-1/2 x 6-1/2 x 6-3/4 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Fujimoto is inspired by the natural world around him, and the return to nature of the discarded and redundant remains of our civilization. He told me this piece was influenced by pier blocks he had seen covered in moss half buried in the earth.
Fujimoto Hide was born in the heart of Shigaraki in 1954, and was fascinated with the medium from a very young age. He worked in several potteries and industrial positions for a decade from 1973, always furthering his understanding of firing technique and glazes, followed by a decade of firing and sculpting, culminating in establishing his own kiln in the forests of Shigaraki in 1995. His work has been picked up by many of Japan’s preeminent galleries including several private exhibitions with Kuroda Toen in Ginza, the Togei no Mori Museum in Shiga, and just recently an exhibition in Taiwan.

A trumpeting vessel, the closed top split open dripping with thick Oribe copper glaze and iron patterns by Tanahashi Jun enclosed in the original signed wooden box. it is 18.5 cm (7-1/4 inches) diameter, 16.5 (6-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Tanahashi Jun was born in Gifu prefecture in 1959. He established his kiln in Seto in 1990, and has exhibited with the Nitten, and awarded at the Nihon Shin Kogei Ten (New Crafts Exhibition) as well as the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition and been collected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A Mizusashi Water Jar for use in the Japanese Tea Ceremony by Otani Shiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The artist has chosen to rely solely on the flavor of the clay, truly barren earth colored only with shadow and light resulting from the flame and kiln position. This beautifully showcases the nature of the distinct Shiseki filled Shigaraki clay. Top an austere black lacquered wooden lid like a pool of dark shadow. It is 26 cm (10-1/2inches) diameter, 13.5 cm (6 inches) high and in excellent condition.
Otani Shiro was born in Shigaraki in 1936 and graduated the Prefectural School in the ceramics department in 1956, which he followed up with 4 years studying decorating techniques under Morioka Yutaro. He then moved to Kyoto where he studied at the Municipal Ceramics Research Facility, where he trained under Kiyomizu Kyubei, Shofu Eichi and Uchida Kunio before returning to Shigaraki to yet further his studies in design. He garnered his first award at the Shiga Prefectural Art Exhibition in 1962, as well as the Governor’s prize at the National Rodosha Bijutsu-Ten Exhibition. He took a position with an industrial kiln in Shigaraki in 1963, and began potting in his free time, exhibiting and being awarded at the Asahi Togeiten among others. In 1968, he left his position at the kiln, and in 1969 was first accepted into the National Traditional Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento Kogeiten). In 1973 he established his own kilns in Shigaraki, both an Anagama submerged kiln and a climbing kiln, and began learning from future Living National Treasure Shimizu Uichi. From there he participated in the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (National crafts Exhibition) as well as innumerable private exhibitions both domestic and International, and was named an Intangible Cultural Asset of Shigaraki in 1990. His work is held in The Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Fogg Art Gallery of Harvard as well as the Morikami Museum and Smithsonian among others.

A Yuteki Tenmoku chawan in sumtous colors, dark blues within, midnight drizzling to sunrise pinks and sunset oranges on the side by Kimura Moriyasu enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 4-1/2 inches (11.5 cm) diameter and in excellent condition.
Kimura Moriyasu (b. 1935) studied pottery initially at the Kyoto Ceramics Research Facility (which turned out such masters as Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro) and then under his brother Kimura Morikazu. He is well known for his use of crawling and oil spot glazes. He exhibits with the Gendai Nihon Togeiten and Nihon Dento Kogeiten among others. He has been awarded the Kyoto Prefectural Order of Cultural Merit (2004). Work by him is held in the Britush Museum, Boston Museum, Dallas Museum and Ise Shrine among others.

A hakuji sake bottle with a slightly lobed seihakuji sake cup by Suzuki Osamu enclosed respectively in their original signed wooden boxes. The Tokkuri is faceted with a spiraling twist, creating a fun dialog between itself and the low, lobed cup, at the center of which is impressed the character, Flower. The cup is 9.5 cm (just less than 4 inches) diameter, the Tokkuri is 16.2 cm (6-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Suzuki Osamu (1926-2001) was, along with Kumakura Junkichi, Hikaru Yamada and Yagi Kazuo, one of the founding members of Sodeisha. He studied pottery at the Daini Kogyo Gakko in Kyoto. In 1948 he helped to establish Sodeisha. He received the JCS award in 1959 (and was granted the rare gold award in 1983). In 1962 he was awarded at the Prague International Ceramics Expo, the first of many international awards. In 1987 he was granted the Order of Cultural Merit by Kyoto Prefecture, followed by the same award from Kyoto City in 1993 and 1994. He exhibited with Sodeisha, The National Ceramics Exhibition (Nihon Togeiten) among others. Works by him are in too many collections to note in this small add, including the Kyoto and Tokyo National Museums of Modern Art, Victoria Albert and New York Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

A soft pallet of blurred pastels blend between gold risers on this elegant form by Yoshita Yukio enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Saishoku Kinsai Hanike and dating circa 2002. It is 11 inches (28 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Yoshita Yukio is the fourth generation head of the Kinsan Kiln in Kutani, specializing in Kinsai and Yuri-Kinsai wares. Unlike standard Kutani wares, he uses a pallet of soft, earthy or pastels with accents in gold to create a new appeal. Born in Komatsu, Ishikawa in 1960, he first garnered public attention at the Asahi Togeiten in 1985, where his entry was awarded. He has since received many awards, on both local and national levels including the Issui-kai and the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten National Crafts Exhibition and Nihon Togeiten National Ceramic Exhibition. He is held in the collection of the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art and Komatsu City Museum among others.