The role of color can be said to be important, if one takes a subjective position in viewing art works. The questions surrounding color, such as why the artist used the color and what the effects of using it, extend the clue to the thoughts and memories of the individual artist. Even if the same color is used, the meaning and concept of each artist will change the nature of the work.
“Torque, Stellar Blue, Sculpture”, “Slab Construction, Blue Green”, “Sculpture, Black”, “Torque White”, “Relief, Yellow-Orange”, “Plate, Yellow with Green”. By combining colors and forms, John Mason established a world of abstract expression and geometric forms. In works titled “Ember Figure” and “Charcoal Cross”, with symmetrical lines and rotating the structure of the form, Mason creates intriguing forms; Improving the clay and skillfully manipulating the color and properties of the glaze, Mason expresses the process of firing, which is peculiar to pottery, as the maximum charm. He created innovative works that greatly expand the possibilities of clay, such as spatial experiences, visual illusions, and architectural installations.
Jun Kaneko dipcts color expression for the friendly looking forms said the following about colors. “To me, color is like a visual scent. I don't believe one color is more complete than the other. Also, the meaning of color is not perfect. The color is alive. Color changes its position, like salt and pepper. Salting one food and salting another does not give the same taste. Peterson Susan. “JUN KANEKO”, P67.
Tetsuo Kusama moved to the United States in the 1970s and experienced the rising popularity of fiber art at that time. Even after returning to Japan, he continued to challenge innovative production of spatial structure using various colors using textiles. In recent years, using the coiling technique in which a thread is wound directly around resin or stainless steel, Kusama has created a visual illusion by skillfully combining the colors “OPTICAL ILLUSION” to create more three-dimensional works. This exhibition introduces rare past works and recent works.
Faust Salvi, a Milanese artist, features a unique contemporary Maiolica which is created by low temperature firing. His works alludes Italian humor. Adding that, we exhibit works created by Toru Kurokawa when he was invited to an artist-in-residence at California State University, Long Beach. While his well-known works are made from silver-black ceramic, our show exhibits his new works with bright blue and green glazes inspired by the colors of the sea and sky of California and that have been successfully achieved in the balance between color and forming. One of his works from the series is in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The color directly approaches the human senses and is deeply associated with emotions. Isn't there any color that we overlook in the modern high mechanized society? We hope that you can feel the various colors that exist between colors through this exhibition.
Jun Kaneko
Born 1942 in Gifu, Japan. He studied at Chouinard Art Institute and received B.A. at University of California Berkeley in 1966, M.A. at Clermont Graduate University in 1971. Collections include 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan; Yamaguchi Prefecture Museum, Yamaguchi, Japan; Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI,U.S.A.; Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia; Smithsonian American Art Museum; Washington, DC, U.S.A.; Victoria & Albert Museum South Kensington, London, England.
Tetsuo Kusama
Born 1946 in Tokyo, Japan. He received M.F.A. Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1973, Successive positions of Assistant Professor, Utah State University, U.S.A., Professor, Seian Women's College, Kyoto, Japan, Professor and Okayama Prefectural University, Japan. Currently works as a Professor Emeritus, Okayama Prefectural University, Japan. Medals of Honor with Dark Navy-Blue Ribbon. Collections include Museum Bellerive, Zurich, Switzerland; National Crafts Museum, Ishikawa, Japan; The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan; The National Museum of Art Osaka, Osaka, Japan; Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, Kyoto, Japan.
Toru Kurokawa
Born 1984 in Kyoto, Japan. Currently lives and works in Kyoto, Japan. He received B.F.A. University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan in 2007. M.F.A. Kyoto City University of Arts, Kyoto, Japan in 2009. Awards include Associate Grand Prix, KOBE Biennale, Hyogo, Japan (2007); Grand Prix, TYOUZA Biennale, Aichi, Japan (2007); Special Judges′ Award, The 11th International Ceramics Competition MINO, Gifu, Japan (2017). Collections include Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, U.S.A.; New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Minka-Museo de Arte Moderno La Casa de Japon, Buenos Aires, Argentina; The Ministry of Culture of Egypt, Cairo, Egypt; The Ministry of Culture of Tunisia, Tunis, Tunisia; Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga, Japan; The Kyoto city KYOCERA Museum of Art, Kyoto, Japan.
Mio Kosaka
Born 1982 in Hokkaido, Japan. She received B.F.A., Kurashiki University of Science in 2004. Studied at Kanazawa Utasuyama Kougei Kobo since 2014. Awards include Winning Award, Beermugrankai exhibition (2008); Encouragement Award, 54th of Japanese craft competition (2014); Winning Award, 23rd of Table Ware Awards (2015); Winning Award, Kanazawa craft competition (2015); Kanazawa 2016 Encouragement Award, International Exhibition of Glass in Kanazawa (2016).
John Mason
Born in 1927 Madrid, NE, U.S.A. He studied Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles, California, 1953-1954.Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles, California, 1955-1956. He died on Jan in 2019. Awards include Fine Arts Gallery Sculpture Award (1961); Commission Award for Sculpture, California Council of Arts (1982); Collections include Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PE, U.S.A.; Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, IL, U.S.A.; Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY,U.S.A.; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA,U.S.A.; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, U.S.A.; National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan; The Kyoto city KYOCERA Museum of Art, Kyoto, Japan; World Ceramic Center, Ichon, Korea.
Fausto Salvi
Born in 1965, Brescia, Italy. He received B.A. National School of Art, Gargnano, Brescia, Italy in 1982. Awards include Winning Award, 7th The International Biennial of Ceramic Art of Aveiro, Averio, Portugal (2005); Winning Award, 10th International Ceramic Competition, Carouge, Switzerland (2005); Winning Award, 18th Biennale Internationale de Céramique 2008, Vallauris, France (2008); Winning Award The 11th Manises International Biennial of Ceramics, Manises, Spain (2013); Special Award, 39th International Competition of Ceramic Art city of Gualdo Tadino, Gualdo Tadino, Italy (2013); Special Award, 13th The International Biennial of Ceramic Art of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal (2017).
Anna Sew Hoy
Born 1978 in Auckland, New Zealand. She received B.A. School of Visual Arts in 1998. M.F.A. from Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY in 2008. Currently lives and works in L.A. U.S.A. Awards include California Community Foundation Grant for Emerging Artists. Collections include Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA、U.S.A.; The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, CA, U.S.A.；The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA, U.S.A.
Yuri Takemura
Born 1980 in Aichi, Japan. She received B.F.A. Aichi University of the Arts in 2004. Studied at Kanazawa Utasuyama Kougei Kobo in 2009. Awards include Invitation Judge Kenji Kaneko’s Award, 46th of Japanese craft competition (2006); Kanazawa Mayor’s Encouragement Award, 63rd Kanazawa Craft Council in 2007(2007); Judge Special Award, 8th International Festival’s 08 MINO, Japan (2008); Collections include The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga, Japan; 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan; Ibaraki Ceramic Park Museum, Ibaraki, Japan.
Matt Wedel
Born 1983 in Palisade, CO, U.S.A. He received B.F.A. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2005. M.F.A. California State University, Long Beach in 2007. Awards include First Place in Ceramic Sculpture, 26th Annual Student Exhibition, Mesa State College (2002); The Individual Artist Award, The Santo Foundation (2018); Ohio Arts Council, Individual Excellence Award (2019). Collections include Clay Museum of Ceramic Art, Middelfart, Denmark; Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA, U.S.A.; Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery, Halifax, NS, Canada
