The Clay Studio
Philadelphia, PA
September 23 - October 30, 2011
opening reception: First Friday, October 7, 5 – 9pm
The Clay Studio – Philadelphia’s premier non-profit ceramic arts organization – is pleased to present the exhibition, Five by Eight: New Ceramic Art from Japan. The exhibition will take place in the Harrison, Reed Smith and Bonovitz Galleries of The Clay Studio’s Old City home at 137-139 N. Second Street, and runs September 23- October 30, 2011. A First Friday Opening Reception will be held on October 7, from 5 to 9pm and the public is cordially invited to attend.
FIVE BY EIGHT is an exhibition of 40 works by eight contemporary potters from Japan, coordinated by Makiko Maki, a curator and gallery owner from Tokyo, Japan. The artists included in this exhibition represent an overview of the contemporary art world in Japan, with some of the makers working within the confines of tradition, while others are pushing those boundaries, with the remaining artists in the group abandoning it all together. The trend within the Contemporary Japanese ceramic scene has been on sculptural works, making the choice to focus on the vessel one born out of a commitment to the importance of handmade wares in daily life.
The eight potters represented are a co-op of sorts, a group of like-minded individuals, each in pursuit of their own vision, while carrying forth a common goal, preserving the tradition of the handmade. As the use of manufactured tableware becomes more commonplace within Japanese households, this shared goal has become ever more important. The participants are all mid-career artists, having been focused on the development of their aesthetic and methods of making for between 10 to 15 years. Each has earned their Masters of Fine Arts from Tokyo University of Fine Arts, Tokyo, Japan or the Aichi University of Fine Arts, Aichi, Japan. Three of the artists have works within the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (as denoted by * in the participants list).
The participating artists are:
Mari Iwabuchi
Makoto Saeda
Isamu Shina*
Yuko Shinosuka
Takeshi Tanaka
Yuichi Chiba
Seigou Maeda*
Kunio Watanbe*
Makoto Saeda will be a guest artist in residence at The Clay Studio during the exhibition and will present a demonstration on the weekend of September 24 and 25 at The Clay Studio. Many of the participating artists will be in attendance for a Special Reception celebration of the exhibition’s opening on Friday, September 23, 2011. An opening for the general public will be held on First Friday, October 7 from 5 – 9 PM.
About The Clay Studio
Founded in 1974, The Clay Studio is Philadelphia’s only nonprofit solely dedicated to the education and promotion of the ceramic arts and is one of the world’s leading institutions in the field. The Clay Studio offers a unique venue for arts enthusiasts through its artist residencies, galleries, studio space, school, educational programs and outreach initiatives. The programs of The Clay Studio reflect the dual character of the organization: as a community centered institution involved with the life of the city and region, and as a national and international focal point for ceramic arts. Because The Clay Studio believes in promoting broad access to the ceramic arts, its programs are geared to all levels of interest and proficiency.
The Clay Studio’s Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday from 11 – 7 pm,
and Sunday from 12 – 6 pm.
For further information, or to request high-resolution images, please contact Artistic Director Jeff Guido by email jeff@theclaystudio.org or phone at 215-925-3453 x18.
You must log in to post a comment.