Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Wednesday Artist: Ichino Masahiko

At age 34, Japanese ceramist Ichino Masahiko received the 1995 grand prize, for his piece titled Kai, at the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. Since then, he has been deemed "the New Wave of Tamba" (a style used in making storage jars, vessels such as sake bottles, and vases), and, according to his profile at Japanese Pottery Information Center, where additional views of Masahiko's ceramics, including gorgeous hanging plates, are available, "the potter who will carry the weight of Japanese pottery on his shoulders." 

I first came across works by Masahiko spotlighted by artist John Cannell on FaceBook. My immediate impression was, "Wow!" Not only is Masahiko's work elegant, its sculptural forms entirely pleasing to the eye, but the pottery also is distinguished by its unfussiness and precisely placed accent(s) of bold color.  One look is not enough!

In addition to the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition award, Masahiko is the recipient of Hyogo Prefectural Culture Prize (2011), the Grand Prize at the Tanabe Museum of Art's "Tea Ceremony Formative Arts Exhibition" (2009), and Japan Ceramic Society prize (2006).

Masahiko's work can be found in the collections of The Japan Foundation, Brooklyn Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum of Ceramic Art (Hyogo Prefecture), Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art, and Tanabe Museum of Art, among other arts institutions. He exhibits world-wide.

Masahiko's makes his ceramics at Taiga Kiln. Here's a look at some of Masahiko's Tamba ware (the video is from 2011):



Ichino Masahiko on Pinterest



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