Foreword

Japan’s ceramics tradition is renowned throughout the world. In the post-war period Japanese Ceramic artists have used this tradition as a springboard, employing radical new ideas and boldly extending the boundaries of the medium to open up original creative possibilities. Amongst the driving force behind this, one can probably point to new stimuli from the fine –art world, a deep admiration for native pottery honed by long history and tradition, and a lively spirit of enquiry. Thus today’s Japanese Ceramic artists, whilst fully in tune with modern sensibilities, have aspired to new horizon in this arguably most primeval of media-clay. Modern Japanese ceramics has an extremely high reputation abroad, with many Japanese Ceramic artists gaining recognition in international ceramics competitions. Moreover, exhibitions of Japanese ceramic art shown in museums in USA and France in recent years have captivated large numbers of people with their rich oriental sensibility, not found in the work of European and American artist. Japanese Ceramic artists have produced a tremendous diversity of work: some approaching the medium through Japan’s ancient tradition and Working out innovative techniques; others utilizing physical body rhythms and the plasticity of the clay to inspire their creative process, or basing their work on empathy with the natural world, its seasonal variety and profound complexity of forms. So these Japanese Ceramic artists, who have used such skills and aesthetic sensibilities to create a compelling ceramic language, are now attracting international attention. We hope that through this exhibition, the eloquent works of Japan’s outstanding women artists will move viewers with a Japanese beauty whose existence we seem to have forgotten in this age of computerization and globalization, as well as providing a hint of the future directions of ceramic art. On the occasion of the opening we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those collectors who generously lent these valuable pieces, to those who helped us research and facilitate these loans, and to everyone whose generous cooperation has made the exhibition possible.

The Organizers