Osumi Yukie 大角幸枝 (Living National Treasure, b. 1945), Flower Vessel “Naruto (Whirlpool)”, 2024, gold and silver, 9 ½ × 12 ¾ × 11 ¼ in. (24 × 32.5 × 28.5 cm)
From the Sea
July 24 – August 21, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday July 23, 6-8pm
16 East 79th Street, NYC
This summer, Onishi Gallery invites visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty and sensations of the sea. From the Sea brings together works by nine artists who capture the ocean’s many moods and textures—from the rhythm of waves and the touch of sand to the vibrant colors and forms of marine life. Featuring ceramics, metalwork, and a felt piece, this elegant group exhibition transforms the essence of the sea into a captivating celebration of contemporary craftsmanship on the Upper East Side.
Kaneshige Kōsuke (b. 1943, Japanese) reinterprets the ancient Bizen tradition with a sense of humor and imagination; Ōsumi Yukie (b. 1945, Japanese) and Nakagawa Mamoru (b. 1947, Japanese) each in their own way merges the metallic touch with the calming pattern of the ocean waves, reminiscent of the dreamy realms of silver-plated screens from the Momoyama period; Tokuda Yasokichi IV (b. 1961, Japanese) and Shōmura Ken (b. 1949, Japanese) capture the blue serenity of the sea and materialize it into a smooth tactility further enhanced by the elegance of shapes. Konno Tomoko (b. 1967, Japanese) makes ceramics that celebrate the glory of life and its many forms in the deep sea, a veritable sculptural equivalent of the best of Joan Miró’s biomorphic paintings. Inoue Manji’s (1929-2025, Japanese) white porcelain on the other hand commemorates the profound silence of the sea, as the starting point of life where everything came from nothingness.
The Japanese ceramics are accompanied by three metal wall pieces by Jeffrey Maron (b. 1949, American), whose exposure to animism during his time in Japan continues to manifest in the infinite dynamism of his geometric compositions. Liam Lee (b. 1993, American)’s felt piece stands in complete tactile contrast to the other works in the show as he exploits the suppleness of felt as a metaphor for the malleability of life and growth.
The show opens on Friday July 24, with opening reception the evening before. Works by Kaneshige Kōsuke and Konno Tomoko will be participating in Homo Faber this September in Venice, Italy, as Onishi Gallery celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year.
To learn more, click here,