The exhibition includes thirty works created between 1972 and 2016, many on view for the first time. Kawakami worked as a member of Sodeisha [1948-1998], the avant-garde ceramist group, which is often considered to be the group that originated Japanese contemporary ceramics. He joined Sodeisha in 1964 and worked until the group’s dissolution in 1998. After 1964 he continued working on creating avant-garde ceramics. In Kawakami’s practice, he creates works by means of black ceramics, which Kazuo Yagi, one of the founders of Sodeisha, also often used. Kawakami thus aims to highlight the essence of the sculptural object rather than the layer of glaze.
In the 1980s, Kawakami created works such as Seat and Chair, which are associated with the theme of authority. Around the same time, he also started to create the apple-themed “Phase” series. Later, in the 1990s, Kawakami created the “Gate” series featuring stairs and gates as its theme.
Gutai and Monoha, both of which are post-war artistic groups in Japan, have been the subject of much interest from a wide range of modern audiences. In this vein, Sodeisha has also started to gain more attention as can be seen in its many exhibitions.