The Worlds of Ceramics, Contemporary Art, and Design Converge

A new wave of collaboration is emerging, flowing in both directions between the worlds of ceramics and contemporary art and design.──"Ceramic Beauty" focuses on six ceramic artists whose conceptual and stylish works, or craft pieces underpinned by craftsmanship that transcends the boundaries of "contemporary art," "design," and "ceramics," are presented.


We anticipate the actions of these challengers who explore methods that appeal to the human senses and spirituality in new ways, pushing beyond the borders of expression, as they take on the challenge of ceramic as a material, pioneering new realms of expression and aesthetic sensibility.



WAO 2012 vol.1 “CRAFT meets ART”

Ceramic Beauty

Period: Friday, August 3, 2012 – Sunday, August 26, 2012

Venue: EYE OF GYRE / GYRE 3F

5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-3498-6990

*The entire facility will be closed on August 20th.

Organizers: Tomio Koyama Gallery, GYRE, WAO Executive Committee


GYRE

http://gyre-omotesando.com


Exhibiting Artists

Ryota Aoki

Born in Toyama Prefecture in 1978. Graduated from the Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center in 2002. Invited as a trainee to Ecole de arts décoratifs (Geneva, Switzerland) in 2004. Currently based in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture. He has received numerous awards both domestically and internationally, including at the Tableware Festival and the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale. In addition to holding many solo exhibitions across Japan, he has also exhibited internationally in New York and Los Angeles. He also leads "Ikeyan☆" (http://www.ikeyan.jp/), an organization dedicated to the development of young ceramic artists and the ceramics industry.

http://www.ryotaaoki.com/top.html


Naomi Ashida

Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1975. Graduated from the Department of Crafts, Ceramic Art Course at Kyoto University of Art and Design, and completed her Master's degree in Crafts, Ceramic Art at the same university in 2000. She is currently active based in Kyoto. She has held numerous exhibitions, primarily in Kyoto and Tokyo. In 2010, she participated in "Montblanc Young Artist Patronage in Japan" (Montblanc Ginza Main Store, Tokyo). She is known for her "AMETSUCHI" series of tableware, inspired by mountain ranges.

http://www.ametsuchi.info/


Yuko Okazaki

Born in Tokyo in 1976. Graduated from Seishin Women's Academy. At the age of 20, she joined ISSEY MIYAKE INC. and worked in the Public Relations Department. After three years, she resigned and apprenticed under the ceramic artist Eiichi Morita in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Following four and a half years of training, she completed the Glaze and Plaster courses at the Kasama Pottery Technical Center. At 28, she returned to Tokyo and worked at two pottery studios in the city. At 30, she established her own studio in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. She held her first solo exhibition at 32 and has since held exhibitions in various locations.

http://yukookazaki.com/index.html


Takuro Kuwata

Born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1981. Graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Ceramic Art Course at Kyoto Saga University of Arts Junior College in 2001. In 2002, he apprenticed under the ceramic artist Susumu Taimatsu, and in 2007, he completed the Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center program. He currently works in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture. He has received numerous awards, including at the Tableware Festival, and has held solo exhibitions across Japan, as well as exhibiting in New York. His works are also held in the Rubell Family Collection and the University of Michigan Museum of Art in the United States. He is also currently exhibiting in the "Craftsmen of the Future" exhibition at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, running until Friday, August 31st.

http://www.takurokuwata.com/index.html


Shohei Fujita

Born in Wakayama Prefecture in 1968. Graduated from the Department of Crafts, Ceramic Art Course at Kyoto University of Art and Design, and completed his Master's degree in Crafts, Ceramic Art at the same university in 1995. He also completed studies at Edinburgh College of Art in 1997. He is currently based on an island in the Seto Inland Sea. He has held numerous solo exhibitions in various locations, including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Mie. In 2011, he participated in "Montblanc Young Artist Patronage in Japan" (Montblanc Ginza Main Store, Tokyo). He also works as part of the unit "Fujita Chisato" with Chisato Yamano, holding numerous exhibitions.

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/fujitachisato