present Instructor, Kyoto Seika University
Part-time Lecturer, Kyoto University of Art and Design
1998-00 Instructor, Kyoto City University of Arts
1998 M.F.A., Kyoto City University of Arts
1996 B.F.A., Kyoto Seika University Faculty of Arts
1973 Born in Osaka Prefecture
Solo Exhibitions
2017 THE AESTHETICS OF EROSION, Keiko Art International
2013 The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Togeikan Gallery, Shiga
2012 Gallery Nawa, Osaka
2011 Gallery Utsuwakan, Kyoto
2009 Gallery Tazawa, Kyoto (’06)
2008 Sands of Time, KEIKO Gallery, Boston MA
Gallery Suzuki, Kyoto
Gallery Tousai, Tokyo
2007 Toh-Bi Art Fair, Tokyo Bijutsu Club, Tokyo
Tajima Bijutsu Aoyama, Tokyo
2006 INAX GALLERY2, Tokyo
2005 ENTREZ, Kobe
INAX TILE MUSEUM, Aichi
2004 studio J, Osaka
Gallery Esprit Nouveau, Okayama
2003 INAX Galleria Ceramica, Tokyo
Gallery SHOKANDO, Kyoto (’01)
2002 ENTREZ, Kobe studio J, Osaka
1997 DOJIDAI Gallery, Kyoto Gallery MARONIE, Kyoto
Group Exhibitions
2015 Nippon! Contemporary Arts and Crafts from Japan, ESH Gallery, Milan, Italy
Dialogue with Materials: Contemporary Japanese Arts an Crafts, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey
2014 Dialogue with Materials: Contemporary Japanese Arts an Crafts, Ahmed Adnen Saygun Sanat Merkezi, Izmir, Turkey
2010 Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition, Paramita Museum, Mie
2009 “The 5th International Competition 2009” Korea
Kobe Biennale, Kobe
2008 SOFA Chicago (’06)
2007 SOFA New York
Kobe Biennale Ceramic Competition, Hyogo
Tobi Art Fair, Tokyo Bijutsu Club, Tokyo
2006 Ceramics of 3 persons、GION KONISHI, Kyoto
2005 KEIHANNA Art Festival, Kyoto
2004 Exhibition of 11 persons, INAX TILE MUSEUM, Aichi
2003 Art Court Frontier 2003, Art Court gallery, Osaka
2002 Asahi Ceramic Exhibition Selected New Artists -New Wave-, The Museum of Kyoto
2001 Tenri Biennale, Nara
International Craft Exhibition Kanazawa, Ishikawa
2000 Kyoto Bijutus-Kougei Exhibition, The Museum of Kyoto
Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition Toki, Gifu
Awards
2014 grand prix / the design devision, 10th International Ceramics Competition Mino
2010 Hokkaido Broadcast Award, Otaki Hokkaido Ceramic Art Competition, Hokkaido
2005 Grand Prize, KEIHANNA Art Festival, Kyoto
2001 DOYUSHA Prize, TENRI Biennale
Collections/ Public Art
TOKI city
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MN
INAX Tile Museum, Aichi
XIV Kyoto Yaserikyu, Kyoto
When I was studying ceramics in college my teacher asked me, “What is firing for you?”
At the time I believed that, in addition to ideas, forms and colors were the most important aspects of ceramics; firing was nothing more than a process to harden the ceramics. However, I was growing more interested in clay as a material and curious about what else was taking place during firing beyond the physical change.
During the past ten years—through many different processes of trial and error-- my signature Erosion Series has now begun to express my goals. Among many failed experiences in the beginning there occurred an unforgettable episode when I fired a bowl using natural ash glaze. The surface of the bowl was covered by spots where the glaze had melted and fused onto the clay and other spots where the glaze had not melted which were only bare clay. This was because the temperature in the electric kiln (combination with gas) was not high enough.
At first I thought the bowl was a failure as a work of art, but I also realized the piece had captured the phenomenon that occurred in the kiln when the soluble and insoluble materials combined. This was exciting and inspired me! But I needed to learn how to achieve this same effect intentionally, and not just accidentally.
Through trial and error I developed a technique of ‘sandwiching’ the soluble glaze between the two insoluble materials of clay and powdered alumina. During the firing these materials undergo dissolution, erosion and concretion, and the difference in the use of the natural ash glaze instead of a prepared glaze revealed dramatically the effects of the surface erosion created by the ash glaze.
I have realized that the intensity of the heat during the firing is what produces the ‘eroded’ surfaces of my current work. So, here twenty years later, I have the answer to my teacher’s question!
