MIKIKO TOMITA, Cell #2, 2016
porcelain, glaze, pigment, gold, glue, glass beads
6 x 12 x 6.5 Inches
Inquiry: info@laisunkeane.com
Exhibition
New Directions: Japanese Women Artists
November 14 - December 12, 2020
Until the 1950s, even if Japanese women wanted to enter the pottery world, their work at kilns was only an auxiliary process, and they faced physical difficulties while being blocked by various conventions. Therefore, a continuous study began to promote kneading, forming and firing among women who blazed their own paths to become ceramic artists.
Since then, female ceramic artists have expanded their playing field as handicraft "pottery" has been changing into artistic "ceramics" including sculptural works full of creativity and design.
As independent artists, a greater number of female ceramic artists, who are most likely have studied pottery at art universities, pursue and express their world of deep contemplation in clay, and play a part in the diversity of contemporary ceramic art in Japan while freely displaying their unique visions and concepts.
In addition, the bold and precise forms, and fantastic and delicate expressions their works have been increasingly valued overseas in recent years, rather than in Japan.
We are proud to bring you four contemporary Japanese female artists, Mikiko Tomita, Mayumi Nakamura, Sayaka Shingu and Mio Yamaguchi, artists at different stages of their careers for a group exhibition in Boston. Tomita exhibited in the USA more than 10 years ago in a seminal exhibition, Touch Fire at the Smith College, MA while Nakamura, Shingu and Yamaguchi are exhibiting for the first time here.
The exhibition will be held at our gallery located at 460C Harrison Ave Boston MA as well as viewable online. We plan to release videos of the artists talking about their works with a Japanese interpreter. An exhibition catalogue will be published.
MIKIKO TOMITA, Cell #2
1972 Born in Osaka, Japan
1996 Kyoto City University of Arts
The Encouragement Award of Reunion, Tomimoto Award-winner
Solo Exhibitions
1999 Gallery Maronie, Kyoto
2000 INAX Galleria Ceramica, Tokyo and Hokkaido
2001 INAX Tile Museum, Aichi
Masuda Studio, Tokyo
2002 Kobo IKUKO, Okayama
2013 YOU-Yuusya Gallery, Aichi (’07, ’12)
2015 ART NAGOYA 2015, YOU-Yuusya Gallery, Aichi
2017 Meguro Gallery, Mie (’03, ’06, ’09, ’11, ’14)
SILVER SHELL, Tokyo (’07, ’11, ’13, ’15)
2019 YOU-Yuusya Gallery SAPPORO, Hokkaido
Group Exhibitions
2003 Flowers of Contemporary Ceramic Art -Focusing on Ceramists of Western Japan / Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Ibaraki
2008 Saint Sex Spirit - Seducing Crafts - / Takashimaya Shinjuku Store, Tokyo
2009 Treasure to the Future / Takashimaya Nihombashi, Shinjuku, Osaka and Kyoto
The Power of Decoration, The Viewpoint on Contemporary Ceramics / Craft Gallery, The National Museum of
Modern Art, Tokyo2010 The 5th Paramita Museum Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition / Paramita Museum, Mie
Touch Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics by Women Artists / Smith College Museum, USA
2015 KOBE ART MARCHE / KOBE MERIKEN PARK ORIENTAL HOTEL, Hyogo
2016 SOFA CHICAGO / Smith College Museum, USA
2017 The Splendid Ceramics - The Expression of Seven Women Artists / Ginza WAKO, Tokyo
Nitten / The National Art Center, Tokyo
Collections
Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramics Technical Research Center
LIXIL
Art Print Japan’s Art Shop in Tokyo International Forum
Smith College Museum, USA