AUTUMN ASIA WEEK NEW YORK EXHIBITION
Patina of Time: The Clay Art of Iguchi Daisuke
September 10 – October 30, 2026
Special AWNY Autumn Hours (Sept 10-18): Mon–Fri, 11am-6pm & Sat, Sept 12, 11am-5pm
A decade after his highly successful international solo debut at our gallery, we are delighted to present Patina of Time: The Clay Art of Iguchi Daisuke. A native of Tochigi Prefecture in northeastern Japan, Iguchi Daisuke (b. 1975) has inherited the legacy established by two of the region’s most renowned past ceramic masters, Kamoda Shōji (1933–1983) and Wada Morihiro (1944–2008). Following in these artists’ footsteps, Iguchi creates works that unify surface and form. The intricate linear surface patterns that adorn his vessels’ surfaces undulate in perfect harmony with their gently curving, occasionally lobed forms, offering a compelling evolution of the region’s burgeoning aesthetic tradition while exploring themes that are entirely his own.
At the heart of Iguchi’s artistic expression is the theme of time:
“Rather than simply creating form, I hope to create works that inspire viewers to reflect on memory and the passage of time.”
Inspired by rusted iron, moss-covered rocks, and ancient pottery unearthed in archeological digs, Iguchi has developed a meticulous and time-consuming process to cultivate a weathered and eroded texture on the surface of his vessel forms. Using clay from rice paddies in Ibaraki Prefecture, Iguchi coil-builds his simple yet elegant curving and lobed forms. After an initial bisque firing, he coats his works in ash and metallic oxides before firing them again at temperatures approaching 1300 degrees Celsius. He then polishes his works with a wire brush to create his characteristically textured clay surfaces.
He juxtaposes this surface with strikingly precise linear patterns that he creates by masking the clay body and applying silver slip before the final firing at a lower temperature. These patterns dance across the surface of his vessels, at times running in parallel with the curves of the form, at times diverging to create dynamism and rhythmic tension. The result are works that feel both dauntingly ancient and imminently contemporary.
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RECENTLY CLOSED ONLINE EXHIBITIONS
Kawase Shinobu: Endless Expressions in Clay
August 6 – September 4, 2026
Online only
Long considered the reigning master of celadon in Japan, Kawase Shinobu (b. 1950) is known for his unique array of astonishingly jade-like glazes that adorn his effortlessly elegant ceramic forms. Kawase’s success in this challenging medium can be attributed in part to his enduring commitment to experimentation. He has regularly taken sabbaticals from celadon to create works in other styles. Over the course of his career, Kawase has mastered a range of techniques, including Chinese-style marbleized clay, charcoal firing, and ladle-poured matte glazing. During his most recent sabbatical last year, Kawase created a deeply personal body of unglazed vessels and Ido-style teabowls using clay from his wife’s family rice field.
In Kawase Shinobu: Endless Expressions in Clay, we are delighted to feature the artist’s iconic celadon works alongside works from three of his sabbatical periods.
To view the exhibit online, click here.
Ono Hakuko: A Golden Touch
August 6 – September 4, 2026
Online only
Ono Hakuko (1915–1996) was a pioneering Japanese woman ceramist of the twentieth century, having successfully broken into the male-dominated world of clay at a time when it was almost unheard of for a woman to do so. After mastering the exceptionally difficult yūri-kinsai (gold leaf underglaze) technique from Living National Treasure Katō Hajime (1900–1968), Ono dedicated her artistic career to refining the technique according to her own aesthetics. She created her mesmerizing, often geometric designs by carefully arranging gold leaf on the vessel’s surface before applying clear or lightly colored translucent overglaze. This process allowed her to create works with a remarkable degree of depth—her gold leaf patterns shimmer through layers of glass-like surface. In 1980, she was only the second woman to receive the prestigious Japan Ceramic Society Award. Such was her mastery that she could have conceivably become the first female Living National Treasure. Ono’s acceptance into the man’s world of clay at that time helped pave the way for future generations of talented women artists.
Featuring six of the artist’s captivating works, Ono Hakuko: A Golden Touch offers a unique opportunity to revel in the rich luminosity of Ono’s masterful gold leaf underglaze technique.
To view the exhibit online, click here.
Recent Acquisitions
We welcome you to view our recent acquisitions currently on view in the gallery and online.
To learn more, click here.
Videos of Zoom Gallery Talk
Couldn’t make it to one of our gallery talks or want to experience them again? We’re delighted to share that these sessions are now available to watch anytime on our site!
To view them now, click here.
About the Gallery
With more than forty-five years of experience, Joan B. Mirviss is a pillar in the field of Japanese art. As a dealer, scholar, curator, and advisor, she has been the driving force championing the top Japanese clay artists, who she represents exclusively, and whose works she has placed in major museums around the globe. Widely published as a highly respected expert, Mirviss has built many institutional and private collections of Japanese art. JOAN B MIRVISS LTD exhibits modern and contemporary Japanese ceramics, ukiyo-e, and Japanese paintings from its exclusive Madison Avenue location in New York City.
