Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Goto Hideki 後藤秀樹

b. 1973

Watatsumi No.3 海神
Stoneware
(h) 8.7″ x (w) 15″ x (d) 11.2″
With Signed Wood Box

Gotō Hideki is a contemporary ceramic artist born in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan in 1973. He currently resides in Tajimi City within the former Mino area in central Japan. He graduated in 1997 from the Department of Ceramics Science at a local technical high school. Post-graduation, Gotō dedicated himself to a pottery career, actively participating in public exhibitions showcasing his ceramic works. In 2012, he received the Encouragement Award for his Shino tea bowl at the nineteenth Mino Shōroku Tea Bowl Exhibition, a competitive event that saw over two hundred submissions per edition until its conclusion in 2015. In 2021, Gotō achieved an Honorable Mention at the twelfth International Ceramics Competition Mino, a prestigious recognition in the field.

Gotō’s artistic endeavors predominantly feature in high-profile solo and group exhibitions, primarily in Japan. Remarkably, despite residing in a mountainous region, his artistic creations draw inspiration from his childhood in a coastal town, a place that holds deep sentimental significance for him.

His unique sculptural forms are titled as “Watatsumi,” signifying “Sea God” and bears profound connections to Japanese folklore. In Shinto mythology, Watatsumi symbolizes the spirit (kami) of the sea and is an alternate name for the dragon deity Ryūjin. Gotō’s Watatsumi pieces emulate seashells, capturing the dynamic essence of the sea while preserving the craft essence of the Shino ware tradition. His artworks poetically depict various marine elements, such as crashing waves against cliffs, sea foam, and riptides, which are articulated through his recent creations characterized by curvilinear, layered textures.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Higashida Shigemasa 東田茂正

b. 1955

Large Oribe Platter 織部長方皿
2023
Stoneware
(h) 4.3″ x (w) 12.5″ x (d) 36.2″
Signed “Shigemasa” at the base
No Box

Born in Hiroshima in 1955, Higashida Shigemasa is a distinguished Japanese ceramist renowned for his exceptional expertise in Oribe and Shino pottery. Higashida’s journey into the world of ceramics took a remarkable turn when, previously employed as a salaryman, he encountered a Buddhist fortune teller in Kyoto whose insights inspired him to embrace ceramic craftsmanship as his life’s calling. Inspired by the ceramics of the renowned Mino ceramics maestro, Hayashi Shotaro, he honed his craft and currently resides and creates in Tokyo. His creative vision melds traditional Japanese pottery techniques with contemporary artistry, offering a unique perspective that captivates enthusiasts.

In Higashida’s artistic realm, he not only excels in Oribe and Shino styles but also ventures into the Kiseto aesthetic and explores the nuances of Kuro-Oribe. His ceramic canvases metamorphose into dramatic plates and monumental boxes, where brilliant turquoise glazes intricately navigate verdant terrains. These vibrant landscapes evoke the untamed grandeur of mountains and cliffs, with dynamic surfaces and undulating peaks. The juxtaposition of this rugged topography with the tranquil stillness of the pooled blue glaze invites contemplation, creating moments of serenity amidst the visual journey across his creations. Higashida’s artistry achieves a natural and spontaneous allure, underpinned by impeccable technical mastery.

Higashida’s elegant Oribe and Shino ceramic masterpieces have garnered acclaim from collectors and connoisseurs, earning recognition through extensive exhibitions in Japan and internationally. Prestigious venues such as Gallery Miyasaka, Takashimaya, Sogo, and Wako, have proudly showcased his work. He has exhibited extensively in Japan and overseas, and in the west in both solo & group exhibitions. For over 20 years, Dai Ichi Arts has been privileged to feature his creations, and admiration for his stunning ceramics continues to grow.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Hayashi Shotaro 林正太郎

b. 1947

Shino Flower Vase
Stoneware
(h) 10.1″ x (w) 6.1″ x (d) 5.8″
With Signed Wood Box

Born in Toki city, Japan in 1947, Hayashi Shotaro is a celebrated Japanese artist who specializes in ceramics. He is famous for his masterful Mino glazes, such as Shino, Oribe, and most notably, he is the contemporary pioneer of the uncommon “Manyosai” glaze. He is the recipient of the prefectural award of a Beholder of Intangible Cultural Property of the Mino prefecture. His robust forms are complimented by a softness of surface glaze that invites the viewer to relish the pleasures of the Shino technique.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Higashida Shigemasa 東田茂正

1894-1978

Hexagonal Vase with Persimmon Glaze and Red and Green Enamel 柿釉赤絵花生 1960S
Stoneware
(h) 7.7” x (d) 3.5”
With Signed Wood Box by Hamada Shoji himself

Hamada Shoji was a Japanese potter and artist famous for his foundation of the Japanese folk art movement of the 20th century. In 1920, Yanagi Soetsu, Kawai Kanjiro and Hamada Shoji co-founded the Mingei movement, which was an artistic and philosophical movement that sought to preserve and promote the traditional crafts of Japan. The Mingei movement emphasized the importance of everyday objects and the beauty of simplicity, rejecting the ornate and overly-decorative styles that were popular at the time. Hamada, Kawai, and Yanagi believed that the best crafts were those that were made by hand, with respect for the materials and traditions of the craft. The movement was far reaching, inspiring synonymous movements towards studio pottery in the Western craft, art and design scene in the 20th century.

Hamada was also a teacher and mentor to many young potters. His passion and dedication to his craft inspired many others to follow in his footsteps and continue the Mingei tradition. Today, Hamada Shoji is recognized as one of the most important figures in the history of Japanese ceramics. His work is widely admired for its beauty, simplicity, and respect for traditional forms. For his contribution to the international pottery scene, he was awarded the title of a Living National Treasure. Hamada’s legacy continues to inspire potters and craftsmen around the world.

In this vase, Hamada uses this six-sided mold-impression as a palette for a gorgeous display of color, inspired by lesser-appreciated Okinawan folk pottery tradition. Hamada initially visited Okinawa on his honeymoon, and often thereafter in the wintertime. The influence exerted by the Okinawa tradition may have been reinforced by his, no doubt, exhilarating romantic memory.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Kakurezaki Ryuichi 隠崎隆一

b. 1950

Bizen Flower Vase
Stoneware
(h) 12.5″ x (w) 5.5″ x (d) 3.9″
With Signed Wood Box

Bizen, Shigaraki, Tokoname, Seto, Echizen, and Tamba stand as the six ancient kilns of Japan, each with a rich history and artistic tradition. Bizen, in particular, boasts kiln sites dating back to the 13th century, and over the generations, artists have cultivated a robust tradition rooted in its fertile lands.

Hailing from Nagasaki and a luminary in the Bizen pottery scene, Kakurezaki Ryuichi 隠崎隆一 (b. 1950) is celebrated for his bold forms and elegant surfaces, which artfully showcase the diverse qualities of Bizen clay. Bizen Okayama, arguably Japan’s most renowned pottery center, is home to numerous Bizen potters who elevate their craft to a sculptural level, a sentiment vividly embodied in Kakurezaki’s work.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Kawase Shinobu 川瀬 忍

b. 1950

Celadon Tall Flower Vase 青磁花入
2015
Celadon glazed porcelain
(h) 22” x (d) 7”

Kawase Shinobu is a contemporary artist and potter working exclusively in the celadon medium. He descends from a long line of ceramicists, and began studying at an early age with his father. His early work adheres to the more traditional Song dynasty style of celadon, but he has been making inventive and original use of the medium since the early 1980s. Shinobu finds inspiration in nature, often taking formal clues from flora and fauna and translating them into elegant ceramic works of art.

He has enjoyed great critical success and his award-winning ceramics can be found in many prominent public and private collections. His work showcases modern, graceful organic forms that establish him as an outstanding master of contemporary celadon in Japan.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Koinuma Michio 肥沼美智雄

1936-2021

Kabuto 兜
Stoneware
(h) 13.4″ x (w) 7.5″ x (d) 6.5″
With Signed Wood Box

Koinuma Michio’s ceramics stay within the stoneware tradition that characterizes Mashiko production. His works that seem to originate in archaeology, but are in reality contemporary constructions. In particular, he was inspired by Chinese bronze forms excavated from archaeological sites in ancient Han dynasty China, as well as the warring states period. Not only does he frequently practice this archaic referencing, he also blends these forms inspired by the geometric abstraction movement in the US. The result are these sleek, modern ceramic forms that are historically rooted. Both sculptural and functional forms are covered with gray ash, evoking an aged surfacescape.

His works have been collected by the Brooklyn Museum, NY; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY; The Palace Museum, Taipei; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and more.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Kondo Yuzo 近藤悠三

(1902-1985)

Blue and White Jar with Plum Drawing 梅染付壺
1970s
(h) 9.5” x (d) 9.8 ”
With Signed Wood Box and Lacquer Box, Porcelain

Kondo Yuzo was designated a Living National Treasure in 1977 for his work in underglaze cobalt blue (sometsuke). Following his graduation from the Kyoto School of Arts, he worked as an assistant for Tomimoto Kenkichi between 1921 to 1924, while employed on the recommendation of Shoji Hamada. As the story goes, Tomimoto eventually took him in hand and told him that unless he could draw, he would never be a great potter. Kondo responded by enrolling in courses specially teaching drawing and haltingly started applying these skills to his pots. The outcome of all his effort was a superb body of work where his dynamic, large scale decoration based on a set number of themes, reinvigorated the notion of just what blue and white decoration could achieve. His skills as a potter still emerge in his work with high-shouldered vases. These forms are instantly recognisable as Kondo’s forms and are as much his hallmark as is their decoration.

Kondo consistently revisited themes such as pomegranates, mountain ranges, pine, plum, bamboo, and thistles in his art, each retaining its vibrancy over time and across various forms of use. This exhibition showcases the adept incorporation of these motifs, such as the thistle, onto both a cup and a vase. The proportions of these elements harmoniously relate to the forms they embellish. Notably, landscapes adorn a later box, its background adorned with gilt—perhaps an homage to Tomimoto’s later works or a reflection of Kondo’s adaptation to the imperial taste of ancient Kyoto. These pieces stand as a highly original body of work, unparalleled in their artistry and individuality.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Murata Gen 村田 元

(1904-1988)

Teabowl 茶碗
Stoneware
(h) 3.5″ x (d) 4.8″
With Signed Wood Box

Born in 1904 in the Ishikawa prefecture, Murata Gen initially pursued classical painting at the Kansai Bijutsu Gakuin (Kansai Art Academy) in 1922. The onset of war, coupled with his impoverished background, led him to sell all his early paintings from his academy days for survival, resulting in the loss of these works to the public eye. His painterly career appeared to end at that point and around this time in 1934 he began to pursue ceramics. During a visit to a folk craft exhibition showcasing Mashiko wares in Tokyo, Murata discovered pottery, altering his artistic trajectory. Drawn to the modest beauty of Mashiko pottery, he permanently relocated to Mashiko in 1924.

Today, his works exhibit heart and soul. Murata showcased mastery over traditional glazes such as Nuka (rice-husk), kaki-yu (persimmon), and various iron glazes, displayed in scrolling patterns over his functional clay wares. Murata’s classical painting background underscored his mastery over surface-scape. His functional wares uniquely employed glaze decoration to express scenic vistas. Unlike Hamada Shoji, Murata Gen chose to use only clay and glazes indigenous to Mashiko, embodying a mindful Mingei practitioner who built his clay works with intention. Departing from Hamada Shoji, Murata used the exteriors of his jars and bowls as “canvases” to convey his deeply-held artistic intentions.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Murata Gen 村田 元

(1904-1988)

Jar, Iron and Rice Husk Glaze 糠白黒文方壺
Stoneware
(h) 7.3” x (d) 6.5”
With Signed Wood Box,

Born in 1904 in the Ishikawa prefecture, Murata Gen initially pursued classical painting at the Kansai Bijutsu Gakuin (Kansai Art Academy) in 1922. The onset of war, coupled with his impoverished background, led him to sell all his early paintings from his academy days for survival, resulting in the loss of these works to the public eye. His painterly career appeared to end at that point and around this time in 1934 he began to pursue ceramics. During a visit to a folk craft exhibition showcasing Mashiko wares in Tokyo, Murata discovered pottery, altering his artistic trajectory. Drawn to the modest beauty of Mashiko pottery, he permanently relocated to Mashiko in 1924.

Today, his works exhibit heart and soul. Murata showcased mastery over traditional glazes such as Nuka (rice-husk), kaki-yu (persimmon), and various iron glazes, displayed in scrolling patterns over his functional clay wares. Murata’s classical painting background underscored his mastery over surface-scape. His functional wares uniquely employed glaze decoration to express scenic vistas. Unlike Hamada Shoji, Murata Gen chose to use only clay and glazes indigenous to Mashiko, embodying a mindful Mingei practitioner who built his clay works with intention. Departing from Hamada Shoji, Murata used the exteriors of his jars and bowls as “canvases” to convey his deeply-held artistic intentions.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Shingu Sayaka 新宮さやか

b. 1979

No. 2 Teabowl 咢容碗
2022
Mixed Clay with Glaze and Slip
(h) 4.3″ x (w) 6″ x (d) 5.5″
With Signed Wood Box

Shingu Sayaka has emerged as a young luminary in the Japanese ceramic industry, gaining recognition both within and outside Japan for her captivating ceramic flower series. Renowned for her distinctive approach, her pieces eschew vivid colors, instead embracing a monochromatic aesthetic that imparts a strong and quietly impactful impression.

In the realm of art, flowers often serve as a motif, with numerous artists, such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Georgia O’Keeffe, exploring the cyclical nature of endings and fresh beginnings through their works. Similarly, Shingu’s creations delve into the intricate dance of life reflected in flowers. In Japan, the concept of 無常 (Mujyo/mutability, uncertainty, impermanence) holds a place of common understanding. The transient beauty of 桜 (Sakura/Cherry blossoms), cherished for its fleeting existence, has inspired artistic expressions for millennia. Shingu, in her art, transforms this motif into a tender mode of self-expression, employing colored clay to craft her pieces. Through this medium, her work poignantly captures the essence of transience and the enduring immortality of life.

Dai Ichi Arts, Ltd.

Yanagihara Mutsuo 柳原睦夫

b. 1934

Yellow Oribe Flower Vase, キオリベ長筒花瓶
1992
Stoneware
(h) 14.5” x (w) 6.7” x (d) 5.6”
Signed Mutsu 睦 at the bottom
With Signed Wood Box

Yanagihara Mutsuo, born in 1934, is a prominent Japanese contemporary ceramic artist. Bursting onto the Kyoto pottery scene in the 1970s and 80s, Yanagihara seamlessly incorporated influences from geometric abstraction, expressionism, and other Western art movements into the realm of clay and ceramics. Through the ceramic medium, he masterfully merges form and pattern, creating a playfully graphic composition that leaves an indelible impression.

Yanagihara’s artistic journey took a transformative turn when he taught art in Chicago during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Immersed in the dynamic American art world of those decades, he absorbed the influences of Pop Art’s graphic comic book style and its vibrant, glossy color palette. His ceramics feature distinctive organic linework, skillfully blending seemingly disparate elements. The rich, earthy brown clay surface harmonizes with the electric pop of colored patterns, resulting in an outlandish and surprising visual experience that challenges the viewer with its unexpected spunk.

Yanagihara’s artistic contributions are highly regarded by experts, reflected in the inclusion of his work in prestigious collections, such as those of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Art Institute of Chicago, The National Museum of Art in Tokyo, the National Museum of Art in Kyoto, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.