Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Artists

Artists and artisans working with ceramics have steadily contributed to the art world for centuries.

Contemporary japanese ceramic artists. Like a piece of pop art for the craft world kimiyo mishima s vibrant pieces are intensely fun and as a result mishima has become one of japan s most prominent ceramic artists with her work being exhibited world wide beginning her career as a painter pottery became her canvas for silk screen printing where she transfers printed matter such as magazines and newspapers often with a. While plenty of artists have preserved the customary look and feel of the ancient craft many have opted to reinvigorate the medium through experimental approaches and unconventional aesthetics. Pottery is one of the oldest crafts and art forms in japan. Sekisui v hails from a japanese ceramics dynasty that has forged mumyōi or red clay vessels for 14 generations laden with ferric oxide the clay is collected from the gold mines of sado island where the artist was born and continues to operate his family s eponymous kiln.

Ceramic culture has thrived there for more than 15 000 years with a focus on practical objects especially pots that are used during the tea ceremony. In 1948 the group sodeisha began the movement toward modern ceramics challenging the tradition of functional pottery. Julia kunin fascinated with nature organic forms undersea creatures insects snails mating and surreal landscapes sculptor julia kunin uses clay to give life to her. Here we explore the groundbreaking work of some of these avant garde contemporary ceramic artists.

For information on those who work primarily in film television advertising manga anime video games or performance arts please see the relevant respective articles. Here are five of the artists bringing a contemporary edge to the long tradition of ceramic work. Pottery and porcelain 陶磁器 tōjiki also 焼きもの yakimono or 陶芸 tōgei is one of the oldest japanese crafts and art forms dating back to the neolithic period. From prehistoric pottery to ancient greek amphoras from the rise of porcelain in asia and europe to the arts and crafts movement in england and the u s ceramic traditions have long fascinated artists and infiltrated their practices in the contemporary art world this was never more clear.

This list is intended to encompass japanese who are primarily fine artists. Working in the medium that is still experiencing a renaissance of sorts.