Kazuyoshi Kitamura solo exhibition

We are delighted to present our first solo exhibition by Kazuyoshi Kitamura. This is also the first time we have had the opportunity to work with an artist from Kutani. We’re a little excited—and a little nervous!

His work brings together meticulously painted, tautly composed classical repeating patterns and animals that seem to be living life with boundless joy. The overglaze decoration, executed using traditional Kutani techniques, has a wonderfully fresh and exhilarating beauty, while the cheerful animals inhabiting his bold, Rinpa-inspired compositions naturally bring a smile to the viewer’s face.

I turned 45 this year, and yet these works still make my heart skip a beat. This is what I call kyun-bi—the beauty that makes your heart flutter.

Of course, the works are delightful enough to enjoy in a state of pure excitement, but they also reward slow and careful looking. Hold one in your hands and examine it closely, and you begin to discover the remarkable precision of Kitamura’s brushwork, the subtle qualities of his overglaze enamels, his sense of color, and the many ingenious details that make his designs unmistakably his own. Both his imagination and the technical skill with which he brings it to life are truly remarkable.

The exhibition will feature an ambitious selection of works, including tea wares, ceramic panels, sculptures, flower vessels, sake wares, and tableware.

We very much hope you will come and see the exhibition.