Hands & Earth: Six Perspectives on Japanese Contemporary Ceramics

Exhibition Website

Jun 20 2018 - Sep 23 2018

This exhibition consists of five groupings of important works by Japanese ceramic artists of the last 80 years to sample the range of shapes, glazes, surface treatments of many of the greatest ceramic artists as well as an in-depth selection of early modern through contemporary masters. The exhibition consists of stoneware from Bizen, Shigaraki, and Mino to contrast with the Chinese inspired glazes of celadon, with its many different treatments. Two groupings show thematics of biomorphic forms by women artists contrasted with the deep theme in Japanese culture of inside-outside. Tradition, continuity morphing into international contemporary aesthetics are demonstrated by three generations of the Kondo family - a dynasty of Kyoto.

All the works are drawn from the collection of Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz who have the largest and most important encyclopedic collection of major Japanese modern and contemporary ceramics. The collection is a type of “lending library” with active loan arrangements with many US museums and which generates traveling exhibitions. The Horvitz’s have been instrumental in exposing Japanese ceramics to a much wider audience through their loans, gifts and support of these works outside of Japan. The collection of about 1000 works is the largest, public or private, outside of Japan.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website

  • Decorative Arts
  • Asian
  • Ceramics / Porcelain / Pottery
  • Japanese
  • Various artists

Exhibition Venues & Dates