Kazuhiro Fukushima solo exhibition

We are delighted to present Fukushima’s first solo exhibition with us in two years.

Fukushima is perhaps best known for his rugged, powerful Iga ware, but this year the exhibition will also introduce several new directions in his work.

His silver-decorated pieces, covered in a monochromatic silver surface, bring the forms and textures of the vessels themselves into sharper focus. His pale blue-white porcelain has a gentle greenish tint, with a softness both in texture and color. And then there is Iga Shino: fired without a saya, or protective kiln box, the pieces are directly exposed to ash in the kiln, producing distinctive transformations much like those found in Iga ware.

Works such as the silver-decorated pieces and blue-white porcelain may seem far removed from the image many of us associate with Fukushima, making them all the more fresh and exciting. But in terms of sheer visual impact, it is perhaps the Iga Shino that stands out most.

Fukushima has previously presented works he calls Iga Oribe. In that case, the “Iga” referred to the clay—the material itself. In his new Iga Shino, however, “Iga” refers to the firing.

Shino originated in Mino and is normally fired inside a saya to protect the piece from direct exposure to flame and ash. Fukushima’s Iga Shino, by contrast, is fired without one, deliberately incorporating the dramatic kiln effects characteristic of Iga ware.

The feldspar used by Fukushima sometimes reacts with the natural ash glaze to produce striking shades of purple, and the powerful transformations created across the surfaces are unmistakably Iga in character. The result, I believe, is a remarkable new body of work—fresh and unexpected, yet unmistakably Fukushima.

The exhibition will feature his signature Iga ware alongside new tea wares, flower vessels, sake wares, and tableware.

This will be our second special exhibition since moving to our new gallery.

We very much hope you will come and see it.

Saya: A protective container placed around a ceramic work inside the kiln to shield it from direct exposure to flame and ash.