Toku Art -Contemporary Japanese Ceramics & Applied Arts

Filled with shadows and shrubbery, a forest is a mystical place. Dark and imposing is its energies, and the same elements are imbued in the ceramic groves of Sugiura Yasuyoshi's (杉浦康益 1949- ) new work, currently on display at Yufuku Gallery.



For his debut exhibition at Yufuku, Sugiura presents the viewer with 3 new styles of works. One is his Kodachi (ceramic forest) series, which feature rippling, twisted branches of trees stacked up on top of one another. This work was first introduced to the general public in 2006 at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale in 2006, yet our exhibition will be the first for Sugiura to bring this work within a context of a gallery space. "Strength in numbers" is one of Sugiura's mottos, and 50 or so of these groves spring from the air and nearly touch the ceilings of Yufuku.



The 2nd new series that Sugiura introduces is his Kabe (wall) series, which were influenced by the decorated walls of the residential homes of the people of West Africa, in particular Burkina Faso.





One can almost feel the scorching sun and the dry red dust of the region in the works' rustic slip colors. The rudimentary, geometric shapes of the enameled designs are also drawn from Sugiura's African experience. These works are intended as sets in twos or threes, and are symbolic of an aesthetic simplicity that Sugiura has forgotten over the years with his pursuance of nature's complexities, as evident in his highly successful ceramic flowers.

A departure from traditions tried and tested is a gargantuan task for any artist. Sugiura, now 60, is already a well-established ceramist, and the veteran has a loyal following of collectors and is respected among the academics. Yet what is the virtue in endless repetition of mere technique? Where lies the urgency of now? I find that both immediacy and vitality are two aesthetic aspects that can be lost by an artist when creating the same styles over and over again. Sugiura had realized this, and it took a great leap of courage to want to break free from his own stylistic tendencies and create a new ceramic path.



Like the Kierkegaardian tale of Abraham, it is in fear and trembling that one is tested by the faith in his own aesthetics to move ahead and attempt to sacrifice Isaac, or in Sugiura's case, his ceramic flowers. Yet like the "knight of infinite resignation," Sugiura has mustered the courage to move ahead, and this, I believe, exhibits Sugiura's depth as an artist.

From his wall series, I find the highlight to be this set piece below.

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The pieces pulsate with a breezy freedom that is evident in the wet glow of the glazing. Unlike the other wall works, this set has been made using the technique of "kaki-otoshi," and the diamond motifs are far more laid back and loose. In a sense, the kohiki white slip and the kaki-otoshi technique is reminiscent of the slip work of Sodeisha's Yagi Kazuo.

Lastly, Sugiura creates yet another playful pile of works in his tsumiki (woodblock) series.



Inspired by the parched red bricks he saw in Africa, each work is slightly different, with steps, bumps, belly-buttons and legs added to each clay block.



Fans of Sugiura could be seen picking and stacking block by block to ascertain which piece they would ultimately bring home with them.

Sugiura Yasuyoshi says that "the next 10 years of his career will be extremely important," as he intends to create works that will aptly mark the "curtain call" for his career as a ceramist. In this light, I believe his current Yufuku exhibition will be remembered as the turning point in his career. Sugiura's works continue to evolve, and I will not be surprised to see if his future finds him combining his various elements together to make an intriguing, vibrant symbiosis. Let us wait and see.


(Sugiura Yasuyoshi sitting with work)

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

P.S. I recently returned from the opening ceremony of the Paramita Museum Award Exhibition, where Yufuku artist Nagae Shigekazu (長江重和）has been nominated for the grand prize. Other nominees affiliated with Yufuku are Kishi Eiko (岸映子) and Ojiro Kaoru （小塩薫). I look forward to writing about the show in the month of July. Please stay tuned!

I extend my deepest gratitude to all the visitors to our recent exhibition of new works by Mihara Ken. Quite surprisingly in this economic climate, Mihara-san was able to achieve his 3rd consecutive show which has sold out (the other two being SOFA NYC and the Japan Ceramic Society Award exhibition, both in 2008). Congratulations to Mihara-san!

From his week, Yufuku Gallery and Toku Art will be proud to present our very 1st exhibition of new works by ceramic artist Sugiura Yasuyoshi (杉浦康益 1949- ), which opens on July 2nd at Yufuku Gallery and closes on the 11th.

Sugiura is oft associated with his ceramic flowers that are part of his "Ceramics of Natural History" series (see below).



This series is what captured the imaginations of many important ceramic collectors and critics such as Madame Kikuchi, owner of Musee Tomo, and Hayashiya Seizo, the leading ceramic critic today.

It was his ceramic flowers which placed Sugiura's name on the list of nominees for the Japan Ceramic Society Awards. Virtually every year in the past 5 years has Sugiura's name been mentioned as a key nominee, and in fact, he received the 2nd highest number of votes in 2005 (which was won by Ichino Masahiko) and in 2008 (won by Mihara Ken). Coincedentally, both artists are represented internationally by Yufuku.

This consecutive string of defeats, in a sense, was a deep disappointment to the artist. Yet this year, Sugiura returns to the ceramic stage with his first exhibition at Yufuku Gallery. Should the viewer expect more flowers? Far from it.

Rather, this show marks the first time that he will be displaying his large-scale and symbolic "Ceramic Forest" series within the context of a gallery space. This series was one of the highlights of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial held in Niigata Prefecture in 2006 (see below), and the artist just recently rebuilt this gigantic installation for the 2009 Triennial, which opens next month.



This work took approx. 2 weeks to stack each and every ceramic "block" that represent a grove or cluster of ceramic trees. Sugiura asked the current students of his alma mater, the prestigious Tokyo University of Arts, to help him in this greatly ambitious outdoor installation, and the results were stunning.

Each block is colored differently, and looks like this up-close.



For the first time, he will be exhibiting these works indoors within the gallery floor of Yufuku. The energy that will fill the walls of the gallery will be quite intense, and I believe will be a highlight of Japanese contemporary "conceptual ceramics." In a sense, the division between fine art and craft art are not only blurred but shattered in the works of the artist.

Yet not only this, Sugiura plans to exhibit a brand new series of works at his upcoming exhibition, entitled the "ceramic wall" series. This series is inspired by the sights and sounds of Africa, where he spent a great deal of time traveling in 2008. A glimpse of what is to come can be seen in the images below.



These are yet unfired and incomplete works, yet one can grasp a feel for Sugiura's latest direction. We hope you will join us in celebrating Sugiura's new ceramic path from this Thursday. For previews of Sugiura's contemplative new works, please contact us at info@toku-art.com.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

ps. Upcoming articles will feature a recent visit to Tamba's Ichino Masahiko, who will be having a solo show at Yufuku in November, and a close-up of Sakurai Yasuko's studio. Sakurai will be having her next solo exhibition at Yufuku in March 2010.

(Mihara Ken, second from right)

It is 2PM on the opening day of Mihara Ken's Yufuku exhibition, and famed collectors and critics alike flow in and out of Yufuku's doors. It is hard to think of any other ceramic artist in Japan today who attracts the sort of visitor flow as Mihara san, bar Kakurezaki Ryuichi - a new exhibition of previously unreleased works is an event in itself, and are the cause for much excitement in the eyes of fans of ceramic art. Over half of the 30 works are sold by midday, and none of us, including Mihara-san, have time for lunch.

"This is only a beginning," Mihara quietly tells me before the show, and rightfully so. This exhibition marks a departure for the artist. Since releasing his much-acclaimed Kigen series in 2007, Mihara was caught under a flurry of media attention, and was placed under great pressure to create larger and more ambitious work for a global audience. Two major exhibitions in 2008, his SOFA NYC solo exhibition and his Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition, required Mihara to create approx. 100 mid-sized to large works in a span of 6 months. Yet his new firing method, which required multiple and extensive firings, took the artist double the time to create a single work. To meet his deadlines, Mihara had to do something he disliked most - recreate forms from his past in order to satisfy demand.

"I tried to think of the JCS Award Exhibition as something like a 'Greatest Hits,' but after awhile, I realized that I was simply letting my creative processes into auto-pilot." In particular, his "origami" forms were immediately eye-catching, and demand for this style continues to this very day. Not surprisingly, his SOFA and JCS shows were grand successes, with the artist selling out all 100 works in a flash. Acquisitions by the Metropolitan Museum, the Yale Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the Eastern Hiroshima Museum of Art, along with his receiving the Grand Prize at the Tea Forms Exhibition (Tanabe Museum), the Contemporary Tea Ceramics Exhibition (Musee Tomo), and the Japan Ceramic Society Award, all in a span of two years, were great honors, but the extensive accolades would eventually take a toll on the artist.



"I needed to recharge and understand what I wanted to express in the future, and so after August of 2008, I didn't touch a drop of clay until January of 2009."

Mihara's career was hardly a guaranteed success. He first touched clay in college, and was taken by the works of Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kato Tokuro - artists that, at first glance, appear far different from Mihara. Mihara would begin his career under the supervision of Mingei artist Funaki Kenji - yet Mingei and Mihara seemed also to be worlds apart. "I was, in a sense, attracted by the aesthetic simplicity within Mingei. But it was not like I was infatuated with creating functional vessels. Instead, from early on in my career, I tried to figure out how I could close the top of my pots and turn them into non-functional works. Early in my career I became fascinated with the Sodeisha spirit, and their works had a profound influence upon my aesthetics. But as I was a young potter, I needed to make a living. Hence, my works retained an element of functionality. But what was most important to me was creating a silhouette that was borne naturally from within me."



Tomimoto Kenkichi, Kato Tokuro, and the Sodeisha. What each artist or group have in common is the underlying theme that ceramics is a means for self-expression. And for Mihara, the same holds true. Yet moreover, the artist that he is most often compared to is Kamoda Shoji (1933-1983). This is no coincidence. Like Kamoda, Mihara intentionally chooses to discontinue a certain theme (for Mihara, a form, or for Kamoda a patterned motif) and create a new one each and every year. Thus it can be said that the two artists were forever evolving, and like Kamoda, Mihara is brave enough to move forward to challenge new forms without dwelling on former glories. Yet this is not the only similarity. In fact, the technique of covering his ceramic surfaces with silica slip before his 2nd firing is a technique that was pioneered by Kamoda in the 70's. Says Hanazato Mari, curator of Musee Tomo, "I am aware of only two artists in Japan who use this technique -Kamoda and Mihara."

"I began this technique as I wanted to create a barrier between the fire and the actual clay surface. I didn't want the fires to hit the clay directly. Rather, an indirect firing could produce even more weathered and dramatic results. This was my intent," says Mihara.



"I was afraid to move on after 2008. I had used up my energies in trying to form and fire enough works for two very large exhibitions, and I reached a point where I could not freely create new forms and experiment. So for 2009, I decided that I would only pick up clay when I was absolutely ready to create something new from within me. I had an image in my mind of rounder, more simplistic forms. I wanted to shave off all excess and unnecessary fat from my ceramics. And at the same time, I wanted to experiment again with the new firing technique that I had started with the Kigen series. But this time, I chose to change the timing of reduction and play with slight variances in temperature for each and every work depending on the size and shape of the piece to be fired. By this experimentation, I was able to achieve new landscapes that I could not previously achieve. But again, this is only a beginning. I still don't have a title for the new series. However, I now know which direction I want to take my works. I think no. 5 (see image below) is a good example of a simple form, yet intriguing enough in its slight tensions and curvatures. This is where I'd like to take my works. And this exhibition is the beginning of my new journey."

Mihara Ken's work mirror the mind and soul of the artist. They ripple with an assured serenity, brim with spiritual simplicity, and limn a silent poeticism found in the calm of open oceans after the passing of a storm - much like the oceans of Sugimoto Hiroshi's photographs. And they are moving works that are borne from the depths of Mihara Ken's imagination. His ceramic journey has only just begun.



From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama　青山和平
Toku Art Limited

The Yufuku exhibition can now be seen in its entirety via the following link. The show ends June 13th.

Mihara Ken (1958- 三原研)'s first solo exhibition since his Japan Ceramic Society Award Exhibition in August of 2008 will take place from June 4th to 13th at Yufuku Gallery in Tokyo, Japan (Sun, Mon closed).



His new works exhibit the beginning of a new chapter in Mihara's career. The artist, much like Kamoda Shoji (who he is often compared to), is hardly complacent in recreating the same forms and firings that had captured much acclaim in recent years. Rather, he wishes to give birth to new forms and firings that "are naturally borne from (his) inner spirit." Thus, no longer will we see these two signature forms that have been widely collected by museums the world over in the past two years alone.



Rather, his new forms exhibit even greater simplicity and a stark, bulb-esque minimalism that are, in essence, a window into the mind of the artist. Mihara's new works pulsate with a relaxed and assured confidence in his own abilities - it seems as if the artist is well aware that he is now at the height of his powers. Yet where many artists will tend to overdo and outshow his or her abilities at their prime by trying too hard, or in other words, falling towards pretension or awkward contrivement, Mihara steers toward a far more serene aptitude. Furthermore, the new works also exhibit a range of tones, from the poetically austere to vivid oranges and blues, which are a result of a revamped firing technique that he has further tweaked from the experiments of his past Kigen (Genesis) series.



We hope you enjoy the new works of Mihara Ken, unquestionably one of the leading ceramic artists of his generation. For a detailed preview of the works, or for any enquiries into prices and availability, please email us at info@toku-art.com. We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

ps. In the next few days I will be posting an interview article with Mihara-san. Please stay tuned.

(Facade of Saatchi Gallery, Venue of Collect 2009)


(Mitsumasa "Tom" Aoyama at work, along with Wahei Aoyama)

Art fairs never cease to amaze me, nor do they fail to enthrall and entrance both visitors and exhibitors alike. Lights flash, artworks glisten, rumours abound, and ultimately, works sell en mass, with the metallic sounds of credit card readers heard ricocheting off the whitewashed halls of the Saatchi Gallery, the brand-new venue of Collect 2009.

This oiled amalgamation of art and consumption is strangely exotic, and at the same time, oddly intoxicating. Exhaustion, in eager friendship with the laws of gravity, had already pulled me down from the preview (unquestionably the busiest day of the fair), but surprisingly enough, I found myself back up on Day 1, frighteningly energetic and ready to meet an entirely different kind of clientele for each and every day of the show. It is these meetings that please me most -- listening to what people viscerally feel about the art that we present. As I had selected each and every work, it is especially gratifying when a collector who had never before seen Japanese art in his life exclaim that the works on display are the most beautiful he had ever seen. Arigato gozaimasu.


(Arranged display before the opening....)

And as the curtains closed on Collect 2009, it is fair to claim that this edition of the show, held for the first time at a venue for contemporary art (ie Charles Saatchi's new pad), was a very different entity from what had preceded it at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2008. Not only was Collect shortened to 3 days from 5, but the gallery space could now physically allow for exhibitors to expand their stand sizes, which was an impossibility at the V&A. This, in turn, allowed for exhibitors to be more ambitious with their display designs, and more importantly, with the types of works they would exhibit.


(Many, many visitors with kind words for our art and artists)

Likewise, I found a new challenge in assembling an orchestra of works that could be shown as a symphonic collage, and would not be drowned from the sheer size of the enlargened stand (which I also had to spend much time in carefully designing in order to accentuate each and every work). I believe this preparation was vital to our success at Collect 2009.


(Major work by Nagae Shigekazu which received perhaps the most acclaim from visitors, on par with our Fukami Sueharu and Ikuta Niyoko works, which can be viewed in previous entries).

I'm of the opinion that Collect is still going through a learning curve, and will progressively improve with time. Of course, what is paramount is the quality of the art on display. I am curious to see what sort of galleries are added to next year's exhibitor list, if any, alongside the usual suspects, and hope that even greater synergy can be bolstered as a result.

All of us at Toku Art and Yufuku Gallery sincerely thank the many visitors to our stand, and we extend to you our deepest gratitude for taking the time to speak with us and enjoy the works on display -- we report each and every comment to our artists, and they too are extremely happy to hear from you.

We look forward to seeing you again at Collect 2010 -- our planning has already begun for next year's show, and as always, please expect to be pleasantly surprised with the works and artists we will be presenting.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited



ps. Next Thursday is the start of Mihara Ken's (三原研　1958- ) first exhibition of new works since his Japan Ceramic Society Award exhibition in August 2008. Mihara-san amazes me in his ability to constantly challenge himself by discarding old forms (however popular) to create new ones. For this upcoming show, he will be presenting completely new forms that have never been exhibited before. Perhaps even more minimalistic than his previous works, we find them to be his best work yet. And his firings? Mihara-san has also tweaked his firing technique, and this has unlocked a new range of landscapes on his stoneware surfaces. For previews, please email us at info@toku-art.com.

Staff from both Toku Art and Yufuku are in London at this very moment exhibiting at the Collect Art Fair 2009, and today marks the morning before the 2nd official day of the event.

Before the start of Collect on Thursday (preview night), we were slightly worried as to the economic climate of Britain and the EU. Yet to our pleasant surprise, we have reconfirmed that the demand for the very best in contemporary Japanese art continues to be strong. Tall and abundant praise has been given to us from new and old clients in regards to this year's collection of artworks (which took me a year to assemble), and towards the display/layout of our stand. With works by Nagae Shigekazu, Takeyama Naoki, Ikuta Niyoko and Takagaki Atsushi selling out during the 1st day alone, I think it's already safe to say that this year's show is another success.

Furthermore, we are pleased to announce that the Victoria & Albert Museum has purchased a seminal work of glass by Ikuta Niyoko for their permanent collection. As you can see by the image below, the work was acquired through the Art Fund Collective, which is an excellent competition-based public fund given to museums in order to acquire art for their collection.



Congratulations to Ikuta-san!

There are now 2 more days left of the 3-day fair. I truly look forward to welcoming you to our humble stand.

From London skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Takeyama Naoki Collection for Yufuku/Toku Art 2009

One can safely claim that Japanese ceramics has forged a stellar reputation and an avid following throughout the world in the 21st century. There is something about the artform and its artists that continue to captivate not only collectors of art but so-called Japanophiles who may not be well-versed in traditional Japanese aesthetics per se. At the same time, other traditional Japanese crafts such as lacquerware, for example, have also been cherished in the West for its quality and collectibility, perhaps evidenced by lacquer's colloquial moniker as "Japan."

(Yumegatari 'Reverie' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Yet compared to these two mediums, the art of shippo, or Japanese cloisonne (enamelled metalwork), has been gravely overlooked throughout the years, not only globally but in Japan itself. Cloisonne itself is an ancient art. Born in the Near East, shippo would eventually travel further east along the cultural currents of the Silk Road, and ultimately, reach its zenith in the Far East. In the Meiji to Taisho periods, leading shippo artists such as Namikawa Yasuyuki and Namikawa Sosuke created works that were in many ways the absolute culmination of Japanese cloisonne. Their works today, rippling with elegant exoticism, are still widely collected for being emblematic of Japanese export ware during the Meiji period.


(Kogare 'Devotion' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Unfortunately, it is not exaggeration to claim that Japanese cloisonne since the deaths of the two Namikawas had not witnessed a charismatic artist who would elevate the art into the common national psyche of the Japanese people, much like how artists such as Kato Tokuro or Rosanjin would fully establish Japanese ceramics into the national consciousness.


(Tokiyo 'Time Flow' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Takeyama Naoki (1974- ), however, may very well be the young, charismatic artist that the world of shippo has been waiting for. Takeyama wields the ancient technique with an electric modernity that calls to mind the pop-art of the 1960's and the minimalistic, asymmetrical designs of Japanese fashion designers of the 1980's.

Head of his class at the prestigious Tokyo University of the Arts, Takeyama achieved the Grand Prix at the Japan Cract Exhibition at the young age of 25, while winning an array of awards since. Publically collected by Toyota City (his hometown) and his alma mater, along with the recent acquisition of his work by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London during Collect 2008, Takeyama's metalwork is seen as a stunning reinterpretation of an ancient art, and ultimately, proposes to cloisonne a wealth of new possiblities.


(Yumegatari 'Reverie in Navy' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

Shown in this blog are several of Takeyama's new works made especially for Collect 2009. Each and every work is elegantly hand-pinched from a single sheet of copper, which in itself is an amazing feat. The glazes and gold or silver leaf are not fired with wires, as in traditional cloisonne, but are meticulously applied using a small sieve and a bamboo paddle. This is also a mind-boggling process that can take up to 20 separate applications, then drying, then firing. In other words, each Takeyama work epitomizes the refined amalgamation of extreme technique and imagination, and are, in essence, the future of Japanese shippo.


(Kogare 'Devotion in Blue' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

I believe Takeyama Naoki will be the artist that bravely leads Shippo into the 21st century. He has it all -the wild imagination, and the bold technique to materialize this imagination into art. We hope that many will take the time to view his work in London next month during Collect 2009 and say hello to Takeyama-san, who will also be at our stand. He is an amazing artist, and represents the very best of contemporary Japanese art.


(Tamayura 'Ephemeral' by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹)

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(Tenku by Fukami Sueharu 深見陶治, 2009)

Toku Art, along with its partner Yufuku Gallery, will return to London this May to exhibit at Collect 2009, the premier European international art fair for contemporary applied and decorative objects.

This year's Collect will be relaunched from the stunning new venue - the Saatchi Gallery in London, and will be held from May 15th (Fri) to May 17th (Sun), with a private viewing day on May 14th (Thu). Yufuku/Toku will be exhibiting at Stand G11, which is on the ground floor of Gallery 4.

(Tsuranari no Katachi by Nagae Shigekazu 長江重和 2008)

We are extremely excited with our lineup for this year. Building on our permanent six artists - Mihara Ken (stoneware), Nagae Shigekazu (porcelain), Ichino Masahiko (stoneware), Takeyama Naoki (cloisonne), Yede Takahiro (metalwork) and Suzuki Mutsumi (lacquer), three excellent artists have created new work especially for our Collect exhibition. They are:

Fukami Sueharu (porcelain)
Ikuta Niyoko (glass)
Takagaki Atsushi (celadon)

Please view Yufuku/Toku Art's 2009 PDF catalogue for the show from this link, which has commentaries and artist profiles of each artist we will be representing at Collect.

All the works featured in this blog will be exhibited at Collect 2009, and are only a fraction of all the works we will be bringing with us. We are extremely proud of this year's selection, and we sincerely hope you enjoy the works of Japan's leading contemporary artists. We truly look forward to meeting you in London this May.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Please direct all enquiries regarding works and prices to Wahei Aoyama at info@toku-art.com.

(Kuu by Ikuta Niyoko 生田丹代子, 2009)

(Kigen by Mihara Ken 三原研 2008)

(Kagero by Yede Takahiro 家出隆浩 2009)

(Kosoku by Takagaki Atsushi ��垣篤 2009)

(Inaho Makie Futamono by Suzuki Mutsumi 2009)

(Yumegatari by Takeyama Naoki 武山直樹 2009)

(Tamba Kurowan by Ichino Masahiko 市野雅彦 2009)

I think it was the first or second day of Yeo Byung Uk (呂旭 1969- )'s debut exhibition at Yufuku Gallery in 2008 that I noticed that our clients were sensing something deeply moving about the work of this virtually unknown ceramist from Korea. Judging from the curious clientele who turned up for the show, and by their enthusiastic reactions, it seemed as if I was witnessing the nascence of a ceramic artist whose talent had only just begun to flow into a larger, yet still unchartered ocean.

Surprising, moreover, was the thought that not only was this exhibition Yeo's first in Japan, it was in fact his first solo exhibition ever.

For 10 whole years after graduating with a Masters from the Musashino University of Arts and building his kiln in the outskirts of Seoul in 1998, the artist would not exhibit his works to a discerning publich; rather, he would keep his creations to himself, working diligently with clay in his studio. The reasons for this are many, but mostly stemmed from a deep disatisfaction with his ceramic style, or lack thereof. Yeo was actually skilled in various glazes and techniques, yet could not pinpoint a single style with which he wished to call his own.



One night, Yeo found beauty lying to be discovered in the kitchen windowsill of his family home. It was a small Korean pot made centuries ago, rustic and worn, subtle yet sublime. The work's iron-like facade was borne from polishing flaxeed oil or amani-yu (亜麻仁油) onto a stoneware surface. Yeo took the pot in his hands, and found its patina to be a source of inspiration for his future creations.

Fast-forward to 2008. Yeo's first Yufuku exhibition, for a debut by a foreign artist, was a success. A famous Tokyo contemporary art dealer, who would only be attracted to Mihara Ken ceramic works outside of his typical contemporary art landscape, found a similar espirit in the works of Yeo, and would later eagerly acquire the Korean artist's work. A dealer from Nagoya was equally enamored by Yeo's minimalistic forms and austere firings would later hold the artist's second exhibition in Nagoya. And just recently, a museum in Korea telephoned our Tokyo gallery to ask how they may get in touch with Yeo so that they could invite the artist to exhibit at their annual ceramics exhibition. After 10 years of quietly perfecting his art, recent events have finally begun to shine light onto Yeo's talent for creating contemplative stoneware shorn of excess embellishment. Beauty within simplicity is often times the most difficult element to achieve. Yeo understands this, and confidently so.

Which brings us to Yeo's current exhibition. Using stoneware clay taken from the southern regions of the Korean peninsula, Yeo forms his works by hand and by the potter's wheel, and fires his works twice (bisque-firing, main firing) using a gas kiln. The works remain unglazed after firing, and the real battle for Yeo begins by the application of the flaxeed oil. Literally rubbing the oil into the clay surface, the artist polishes out a finish that can be easily mistaken for tarnished metal. Achieving such a metallic tinge is the most difficult part of Yeo's creative process, and a final firing after extensive polishing cements the colors onto the surfaces.



Yeo's demeanor is calmly serene, much like his works. Speaking in fluent Japanese, the artist says, "since a child, I enjoyed art and the process of creation. I've tried several mediums, yet it was my chance meeting with a ceramics teacher in junior high school which made me understand that working with clay was my calling."

Please find images from the artist's Yufuku exhibition here. Talented ceramists do not only hail from Japan, and Yeo's current exhibition is a clear reminder of such a truth.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(Yohen Tenmoku Chawan 曜変天目, 12th - 13th Century, National Treasure -photo courtesy of Katei Gaho 2008 November Edition)

Welcome, 2009. May the new year bring much peace, happiness and prosperity to all.

2009 will be an impressively busy one for us at Toku Art and Yufuku Gallery. Perhaps the highlight of the year will be our 2nd consecutive participation at London's Collect Art Fair, to take place from May 14th to 17th at the brand new Saatchi Gallery. We will be bringing several jaw-dropping works, made specially for the show, by an array of leading contemporary Japanese artists, and I'm confident that we will be building on the success of our debut. Please stay tuned for updates on works to be exhibited during the show - our artists are currently placing the finishing touches to their Collect pieces, and a final lineup will be selected this February.

What's more, we've penciled in several solo exhibitions that are firsts for our gallery, and will be in some ways a departure from our classic lineup. Much excitement is in store.

In the meantime, I thought one might enjoy a prelude to contemporary beauty in the 21st century by shining a light towards the treasures borne from history.

Enter, kokuho (国宝 national treasures).

It's not very often that I read Katei Gaho, the preeminent and venerable woman's monthly that has expounded the virtues of traditional Japanese culture for quite some time. Admittedly, the only interaction I have with the rather bulky magazine is whilst waiting for my turn at the dentist's (of course, reading the magazine is hardly as excruciating).

That said, I am often impressed with their choice of subject matter, and for hard-core enthusiasts of Japanese ceramics and the way of tea, I would go so far as to say that it may very well be worth subscribing to, simply for its photography of some of the great works of Japanese art.

Take, for example, their November 2008 issue which featured a rapturous ode to the beauty of tea bowls designated by Japan as national treasures.

I applaud the editors for attempting to shoot these works so very close and personal, as if we're actually holding the works in our hands. We can almost feel their warmth upon our fingertips, and their beauty pours through its pages. Although I would have preferred that they not use artificial lighting, the images are breathtaking, nonetheless.

For those who've never seen the kodai foot ring of Koetsu's Fujisan, or who've never noticed how its rustic body glistens every so softly, or who've never realized (until this feature) that Koetsu's work was the first work ever in Japan to be coupled with a tomobako wooden box signed by the artist himself --- behold!


(Raku Teabowl, named Fujisan 不二山, 17th Century, National Treasure)


(The historic Fujisan box, written by the legendary Honami Koetsu 本阿弥光悦, and its sublime foot ring）

Likewise, the magnificent Yohen Tenmoku's mikomi (inner well) is more than just entrancing; it is, quite simply, an universe unto itself.

These images were scanned manually and in haste. For those who were inspired by the featured works, I highly recommend purchasing the November 2008 edition of Katei Gaho. Simply for these few images, the issue is well worth bringing home.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited


(Taihisan Sanka Tenmoku Chawan 玳皮盞散花天目, 12th to 13 Century, National Treasure)

(All images courtesy of Katei Gaho, Sekai Bunkasha Inc. )

Aspring artist Tanoue Shinya (田上真也 b. 1976) is in the midst of his Tokyo debut, and I dropped by to say hello.

Tanoue's peculiar educational background often sparks conversation. Enamored by biblical tales, philosophy and world religion, Tanoue enrolled and graduated from Doshisha University's Department of Theology. I find that his interest in the abstract and the spiritual continues to brim from his latest work, which evoke seashells and the oceans of life.



Perhaps to his detriment, Tanoue had placed an emphasis on participation at public competitions and group exhibitions. In a sense this choice is understandable, as a famous award can help jump-start young careers. However I find that often times the so-called value (not in a fiduciary sense but a moral one) of an artist's work is determined democratically, i.e. by the reception and response that an artist receives at a solo exhibition, wherein the risks and dangers of exposing one's true self abound.



In this light, I applaud the talented Tanoue for challenging himself in the harsh eyes of the Tokyo scene, and I particularly enjoyed his movement towards more-simplistic forms, lines and curves. Although it is said that "God lies in the details," I find that simplicity is often times the hardest detail to capture. I think Tanoue-san has caught on to this notion, and let us anticipate where his new-found "spiritual simplicity" will take him further.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Towering talent and an insatiable ambition coalesce in the porcelain works of Kyoto artist Kondo Takahiro (b. 1958 近藤高弘). Since his experimental Yufuku exhibition in 2004 which first found the artist combining porcelain with glass, Kondo has persevered to change the way we perceive ceramic art: does the material of ceramics presume or self-impose itself under the aegis of craft? Should or shouldn't Japanese contemporary ceramics, in particular the ceramics of conceptual artists like Kondo, be placed in the same pantheon as sculpture, painting and other examples of fine art?

These are difficult and continously under-examined questions that contemporary Japanese ceramists must face in the 21st century, and are questions that pioneers such as Yagi Kazuo and the Sodeisha did not actually answer head-on during their prime. Kondo is one of a handful of leading Japanese ceramists who are attempting to elevate Japanese ceramics onto a higher plateau of recognition, particularly within the eyes of the West.

My views in regards to this subject have changed somewhat in the past few years, and perhaps not coincidentally, I have been pleasantly surprised with the evolution of Kondo Takahiro as an artist. His first mixed media works at Yufuku were coldly geometric and uninspired at best, and my review of his porcelain at his 2005 show was also lukewarm, perhaps because I was not convinced that his ambition was equivalent to the quality of his ceramics.

However, Kondo Takahiro's most recent exhibition at Kyoto and Tokyo Takashimaya earlier this month (held in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Takashimaya's art gallery) was an absolute tour de force. Entitled "Gold and Silver," Kondo deftly amalgamated his signature silver and gold mist glazing with porcelain canvasses that were elegantly sculpted to a brisk and rhythmical minimalism. I greatly enjoyed the show, as well as my colorful conversation (perhaps debate is a better word) with the ever-eloquent Kondo-san in regards to the present state of contemporary Japanese ceramics, which in fact lasted nearly 2 hours long on the gallery floor (which may have bewildered the many gallery staff of Takashimaya).

Ambition is a difficult potion to wield effectively. However, I find that a modicum level of ambition is a prerequisite for success in most professions, and contemporary ceramics is no different. Too much can blind one's eyes, yet we must also remember that the virtues of humility are hardly antogonistic with the qualities inherent in ambition - in fact, the overwhelming majority of current and past Living National Treasures have embodied and manipulated both characteristics to their advantage.

Kondo Takahiro, in my opinion, is now at the height of his powers, and his recent works ripple with a seductive life energy that is in part charged with a provocative ambition, yet at the same time, is balanced with a cool, even objective humility towards his porcelain. Japanese ceramics today may now be at a tipping point in regards to both global recognition and stylistic trends. Perhaps Kondo Takahiro's works may help provide the answers to the many questions that Japanese ceramics have been fettered by, and ultimately, tip the art into a new and fascinating direction. Time will be our judge.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited ← finally some updates on our website! Please stay tuned for more action in due time.

I traveled to Taipei the other day for both business and pleasure (albeit admittedly more the latter than the former). T'was my second time to Taiwan, and with each visit I made sure to do 2 things: eat like a drunken monkey, and make a pilgrimage to the National Palace Museum (NPM).

Perhaps the West may not be accustomed to the notion that the NPM is one of the greatest museums in the world. What, a world-class museum in Taipei?!

Yes, in Taipei, of all places.

After the Kuomintang was effectively vanquished by Mao's CCP in December 1949, Chang Kai-Shek decided to flee the mainland and set up government on the island of Taiwan (effective Jan. 1950). Yet before his historic exit, Chang and the KMT wisely remembered to take (borrow, steal, feel free to plug in a verb) the finest treasures of China's 4000-year-history, well-kept within the ancient walls of the Forbidden City in Beijing, to horde for themselves in Taipei.

What remains today is a collection of some of the most breath-taking treasures of civilization, and a brilliant reminder why the Japanese had long admired the Chinese throughout history. The art, ranging from ancient bronzewares to jade, features amazingly rare copies of calligraphy by the legendary Wang Xizhi, paintings, and of course, ceramics.

I find the NPM's collection of celadon to be particularly exceptional, and its Sung-Dynasty Ju Ware have inspired a legion of artists ranging from lacquer artist Suzuki Mutsumi to celadon artist Kawase Shinobu.

Celadon was ceramics fit for emperors, and today, we find several Japanese ceramists like Kawase creating contemporary works for today's emperors (meaning you and me). Yet unfortunately, a great majority of celadon artists are confined to traditional/rigid forms of yesterday, without challenging or testing the limits of form for tomorrow.

However, one celadon artist who is pushing new ground and, as a result, is finding a growing following in Japan is Takagaki Atsushi (b. 1946- ��垣篤). The Yokohama-based artist, although hardly young, has recently hit a stride with his celadon, in particular for his unusual forms made by conjoining clay slabs together. This technique has allowed Takagaki to expand his creativity and reach for a greater dynamism/movement in form, and happily, collectors and critics are taking notice. We recently had an exhibition of Takagaki at Yufuku, and I was surprised to find such a positive response from the likes of Kaneko Kenji, head of the Crafts Gallery at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, as well as the much-revered Hayashiya Seizo, perhaps the most prominent living Japanese ceramic art critic of our generation and the honorary director of the Tokyo National Museum.



I've always been attracted to artists who do not shackle or limit their creativity by simply copying styles of days past. Like any other artform, there is much room for evolution and progression within ceramic art. I look forward to Takagaki-san's continued success.



With best regards from Tokyo,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Greetings from Kansai! Firstly, my apologies are extended to all our friends who have been anticipating new (and more frequent) posts on this blog. It's an impossibility for me to write in tepid brevity, and leisurely entries are becoming increasingly difficult to procure when time is short. However, I hope to up the ante come this November (as hope itself is an illimitable oasis).

Just a short note today to remind those who haven't seen the Nagae Shigekazu exhibition to jump on the nearest train and rush over to Yufuku, as the show is coming to a close tomorrow and Nagae-san himself (one of the most serene and humble artists I've had the pleasure of meeting), will be there 'til the end. Please do say hello. His white Seto porcelain works are genuinely inspiring, and the artist's fans include not only collectors, critics and museum curators but many, many artists including Kishi Eiko, among others. Abstract porcelain works are rare, and Nagae-san's works are a triumph of both imagination and technique.



From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Preview shots from different angles of a dynamic new work by Nagae Shigekazu, called "Forms In Succession."

Nagae Shigekazu (1953- ) returns to the ceramic scene after a 3-year hiatus, which was largely brought about due to a tragic fire that destroyed the artist's entire studio in 2006. It took the artist several years to properly rebuild his studio, along with creating new plaster casts for his works. Many leading museums and collectors have been anticipating new works by the artist for several years now, and with his most recent acquisition by the V&A in London just this month, we can say with confidence that the world is enthusiastically looking forward to Nagae's latest creations.

The exclusive Yufuku/Toku Art Exhibition of Nagae Shigekazu's latest works, called Tsuranari no Katachi (Forms in Succession), will begin from Oct. 16 at Yufuku Gallery. If you cannot make it but would like previews, please contact us at info@toku-art.com.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

About the Artist
NAGAE Shigekazu (長江重和 1953- ), along with Fukami Sueharu,
is one of the leading pioneers of porcelain casting and firing
techniques in Japan. Casting is commonly associated with the
mass production of porcelain, yet Nagae valiantly transcends this stereotype, ultimately elevating this technique to the avant-garde. Casting alone cannot achieve the natural movements found within Nagae's forms. In fact, the intensity of his gas-kiln fires help mould, shape and curve his delicate white porcelain, thereby giving birth to sleek and razor-thin silhouettes that have become Nagae trademarks.

Among Nagae's many awards and recognitions are the Grand Prix at the 1998 Triennal de la Porcelain in Nyon and the Grand Prix at the Mino Ceramic Festival in the same year, along with the Grand Prix at the 1997 Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition. He has also been acquired by such institutions as the V&A in London, the Sevres National Museum in Paris, and the Musee Ariana in Geneva, as well as the Japan Foundation.

About the Works
Nagae's latest works, his first since 2005, test the limits of his ingenious porcelain casting techniques, and are the culmination of his extensive experiments and research into the
qualities of both clay and fire. Called Tsuranari no Katachi (Forms in Succession), they are essentially porcelain objects
that contain individually casted porcelain shapes that are attached together. After each separate shape is slip-casted through a bisque-firing, they are combined by glazing the joints and suspending the work in mid-air within Nagae's kiln. As the glaze melts and crystalises in the kiln fires, the pieces are successfully attached. Yet at the same time, the luscious draping and tapering of his organic curves are borne through "chance" natural kiln effects.

Thus his resulting "Forms in Succession" are the virtuosic synthesis of differing parts that combine to form an intriguing whole. Although minimalistic at first glance, Nagae Shigekazu's works embody a multitude of intricate techniques, coupled with the natural beauty of serendipity within the kiln fires.

(Koie Ryoji and Mihara Ken sitting side by side. Two extremely different personalities as evidenced in their works, yet exceptional artists nonetheless)

Sincere thanks to everyone who supported Mihara Ken 三原研 (1958- ) in receiving the Japan Ceramic Society Award for 2007. A pleasant reception party was held on August 22nd at Ginza Wako in commemoration of the awards, and prominent members of the JCS were all there. In fact, a great deal of them came to dinner with us afterwards, including the likes of Fukami Sueharu, one of the greatest contemporary ceramists of Japan and a very good friend of ours, and Kaneko Kenji of the Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. Indeed, Mihara-san was all smiles.

We will now be offering works made for the JCS Awards Exhibition in early September. Thank you for your patience in regards to the slight delay, and we look forward to sending special previews in a few weeks time.

Until then, we wish you all the best from eastern skies.

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(I will be traveling from August 27th to Sept. 9th, yet will be able to check email. Please feel free to write with questions or comments)

For those of you who are in Japan and haven't yet seen the exhibition "Dueling Geniuses: The Greatest Highlights of Japanese Artists," I declare the following: Run to the Tokyo National Museum now! The show ends on the 17th of August, and quite simply, you will not get another chance to see the likes of these artists and their art under one roof for a very long time.

Critics will be quick to poison our perceptions of the exhibition by claiming that the Tokyo National Museum have "sold out." In a sense, it is true that the TNM has dumbed down the traditionally daunting walls that surround Japanese art, and have essentially paired two artists together as if in competition for hegemony. In other words, the layout is like a boxing match, with simplistic conclusions being asked by the viewer: who is better than who? Art need not be black and white, and the viewer doesn't have to be force-fed such assumptions.

That being said, the exhibition is a spectacular tour de force of some of the most iconic works of art in Japanese history. And then again, art today is hardly for the aristocracy, and beauty can and should be enjoyed by the masses, with ease of consumption a key issue to be discussed and conquered.

Japanese art, moreover, is a treasure for all of mankind, and has no need for pretentious academia to smother it with snobbery. Shohaku vs Jakuchu? Okyo vs Rosetsu? Eitoku vs Tohaku? Bring it on!

And for those who aren't able to visit the show, there's an excellent English-language interactive website which features some of the works online. Please check it out here.

Lastly, for those who can read Japanese and are also interested in contemporary art, one of the most talented (and popular) Japanese painters today, Akira Yamaguchi (山口晃　1969- ), has painted images of each and every artist featured in the exhibition. You can take a look at his images here. The site's a gem, and I had a laugh whilst reading his comments on the artists and art history in general.

Softly melting away in summer sun,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(One of Kako's earliest works)

Summer is melting away an empty hope for a relatively low electricity bill. The sun has been fierce and most unkind, esp. during my travels throughout Japan in the past few weeks. However, some of the new art and artists I've encountered have been truly inspiring, and my senses were pleasantly awed.

It would be premature to announce any of these artists yet, but please rest assured that their time to take the world stage will surely come.

In the meantime, please find some recent photos taken in early July from the kiln of Kako Katsumi (加古勝己1965- ), an inherently Kyoto artist who works in Tamba's Sasayama region. Kako-san kindly invited my father and I to visit Tamba, and we happily acquiesced.


(Kako is currently working in a rural house built more than 100 years ago)



(The rolling hills of Tamba with lush forests)



(Kako's newest experimental kiln, and a peek inside his studio)









Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

(Sugiura-san describing an aspect of his detailed work)

For the past several weeks I have been traveling throughout ferociously hot Japan to meet artists of various genres. In fact, I'll be venturing on many more trips in August, which is unquestionably the hottest month of this archipelago, and by thought alone can I already feel the sweat dripping from the back of my neck.

These trips are often times with collectors from overseas, yet for the most part, they are personal trips by myself or with family, for example my wife or my father.

Trips with my father have been quite interesting, esp. in the sense that I feel as if I am getting to know the man a great deal more than when I was a child.

Riding together on a rickety single-car local train, seeing the world passing by, summer sun blazing, the brilliant greens of the rice paddies and the forests and the mountains from the window, drinking cold tea bought from a vending machine, talking about family memories I don't remember or have never heard.

In other words, these lazy, leisurely travels are rather special, and I'm grateful for being able to work so closely with him in this point in life.

One artist we had visited together way back in April was the conceptual potter Sugiura Yasuyoshi (1949- 杉浦康益). Although I've been to his home/studio in Manazuru, Kanagawa Prefecture about 3 times, it was a first for my father. All in all, our Manazuru excursion was a productive trip with many new discoveries and discussions.

Please enjoy some photos taken during this time.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited





(Excellent work made during college, reminds me of Mishima Kimiyo's works)

As many of you have happily witnessed, Mihara Ken (三原研 1958- ) was the buzz word during last May's SOFA New York, with all 23 stunning works effectively sold out, and with two works acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum and the Yale University Museum of Art.

Together with consecutive purchases by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY) and the Victoria & Albert Museum (London), along with receiving the prestigious Chanoyu-no-Zokei (Tea Forms) Exhibition Grand Prize and the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2008, Mihara's growing stature both internationally and domestically is both impressive and dramatic, and calls to mind the rapid rise to fame of such well-respected artists as Fukami Sueharu and Kakurezaki Ryuichi.

In regards to the latter award, Mihara Ken, together with Tokoname extraordinaire Koie Ryoji (鯉江良二 1938- ) who receives the JCS Gold Prize, will be holding an August exhibition in Ginza in commemoration of this recognition.

Toku Art, together with Yufuku Gallery, will be presenting previews of the new and - in many ways historical - JCS works to our clients. If you have not contacted us before and would like a preview, please email us at info@toku-art.com.

From eastern skies,

Wahei Aoyama 青山和平
Toku Art Limited

Mihara Ken's home in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture

Mihara Ken with Yufuku's Tom M. Aoyama

Lake Shinji, important in Shinto mythology and a key landscape of Izumo

Sneak Preview of Mihara Ken JCS Work