An exhibition of available works by the artists featured in this newly released publication
An exhibition of works selected by the artists
featured in this newly released publication
Listening to Clay
An exhibition of available works selected by the artists featured in this newly released publication
Listening to Clay
Head-Image
It is a great privilege and a special joy to applaud the publication of the impressive and illuminating book: Listening to Clay: Conversations with Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Artists authored by dear friends and great Japanese clay enthusiasts, Halsey and Alice North and the incomparable scholar, Louise Cort. And perhaps there is no better way to honor them and their two decades of diligent work, than to bring together recent clay vessels and sculptures by all sixteen men and women –– each a leader in the field and already collected by museums around the globe –– in this celebratory exhibition. We are furthermore delighted to note that many of the works were selected by the artists themselves for this singular exhibition, presented both on-line and in person at the gallery.
Most of you are already well-aware that the long history of Japanese ceramics has culminated in the current generation’s creative and diversified transformation of traditional vessels into genuine contemporary art. It is the field’s unmatched range, power, and sophistication, together with the successful integration of old and new techniques and aesthetics, that has brought this area to the collecting forefront in this country. Tradition and modernity are exquisitely balanced in the work of each of these artists.
But how did America become so involved and impassioned by this seductive art form? Like many fields of art that are first noticed, then acquired and promoted by visionary taste makers, it requires a combined effort of collectors, dealers, scholars, museum curators and of course, dedicated, and talented artists. Without a doubt, Louise Cort and Halsey and Alice North have skillfully, patiently, and persistently filled a number of these roles and been effective cheerleaders for this remarkable field.
Louise, with her scholarship and passion for the medium, has educated us through stimulating exhibitions and installations at the Freer | Sackler (now the National Museum of Asian Art) and countless insightful and highly readable publications. For me, her organization, selection, and far-sightedness in bringing the Japan Ceramics Today exhibition of the Kikuchi Tomo collection to the Smithsonian Institution was a life-changing experience. Followed by her seminal work on Sōdeisha and Isamu Noguchi, she paved the way and opened my eyes to the sculptural marvels of Post War Japanese clay art. For all these gifts and so many others, I am truly indebted.
But when she partnered as advisor, friend, and fearless collaborator with the dynamic duo of Halsey and Alice North, the world of Japanese ceramics was changed forever. Having led ceramic tours for Japan Society in the 1990s, Halsey and Alice became ardent advocates for the field. Generous, impassioned, and committed collectors, they have made their collection available to the public and financially supported important exhibitions and publications. In recent years, the Norths have donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art a large proportion of their collection. Together with their library and archives spanning decades of personal and photographic correspondence with artists and curators, their generous contributions have already proven to be a valuable resource for future scholarship. Additionally, the Norths have donated other important works from their collection to museums around the country.
Perhaps their greatest legacy over time will be this highly unusual, deeply personal, and insightful look into the thoughts, experiences, and opinions of many of the leading Japanese clay artists of the current generation of masters. With the abundant enthusiasm of these three authors, we are blessed to now offer these selected works that we hope complement this wonderful volume.
Joan Mirviss
July 2022
Now available for purchase
Listening to Clay: Conversations with Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Artists
Pioneering collectors Alice and Halsey North, together with Louise Allison Cort, Curator Emerita of Ceramics, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, over many years held intimate conversations with some of the most important living Japanese ceramic artists. Their personal stories and insights are now consolidated, edited, and published in this illustrated volume, Listening to Clay. This highly recommended book is now available through Joan B Mirviss LTD and is the inspiration for our summer gallery exhibition. Alternatively, you may purchase your copy through Amazon and the publisher Monacelli Press, a division of Phaidon. Please contact us at director@mirviss.com. Price: $65 USD includes domestic shipping.
Available Works Listed by Artist in Chronological Order
Click on large thumbnail twice to see additional views
HAYASHI YASUO (b. 1928)
Box-like sculptural form with geometric designs and wide, sloped lid;
titled, Small Talk
2014
Glazed stoneware
8 1/2 x 8 1/4 x 7 in.
SOLD
HAYASHI YASUO (b. 1928)
Rectangular vertical sculpture with offset attached top;
titled, Memory of a House #5
2003
Glazed stoneware
13 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.
SOLD
MISHIMA KIMIYO (b. 1932)
Sculpture of a red Coca-Cola cardboard box filled with
six, independent (wrapped) coke bottles
2022
Glazed stoneware
9 1/4 x 10 5/8 x 8 1/4 in.
SOLD
MORINO HIROAKI TAIMEI (b. 1934)
Slightly flattened ovoid vessel with wide raised mouth and vertical patterning
2022
Glazed stoneware
10 6/8 x 12 x 6 1/8 x in.
SOLD
MORINO HIROAKI TAIMEI (b. 1934)
Wave patterned wide-mouthed standing vessel with tapered waist and pointed base
2022
Glazed stoneware
9 1/2 x 7 1/2 in.
SOLD
KOHYAMA YASUHISA (b. 1936)
Tall, angled upswept sculptural form; titled, Kaze (Wind)
2021
Unglazed Shigaraki stoneware
21 3/4 x 16 1/2 x 5 1/8 in.
$ 22,000
KOHYAMA YASUHISA (b. 1936)
Angled upswept, sculptural form; titled, Kaze (Wind)
2019
Unglazed Shigaraki stoneware
17 x 17 1/4 x 4 3/4 in.
$ 16,000
MIYASHITA ZENJI (1939-2012)
Standing vessel covered in flat bands of gradated, blue-colored clay;
titled, Yureru umi: Rolling Seas
2006
Colored clay-banded stoneware with clear overglaze
17 1/2 x 9 x 4 1/2 in.
SOLD
MIWA RYŪKISHŌ (KYŪSETSU XII/RYŌSAKU) (b. 1940)
Hagi-glazed mizusashi (waterjar) with sculpted floral decorations
ca. 1981
Glazed stoneware
6 3/8 x 7 3/4 x 6 1/2 in.
SOLD
KOIKE SHŌKO (b. 1943)
Shallow, nine-pointed, shell-form bowl with matte, aqua-blue interior
ca. 1995
Glazed stoneware
3 7/8 x 8 1/4 in.
SOLD
KOIKE SHŌKO (b. 1943)
Pleated, shell-shaped, covered vessel with carved surface patterning
2013
Glazed stoneware
14 1/4 x 14 in.
SOLD
OGAWA MACHIKO (b. 1946)
Cylindrical waterjar with sculptural cover
1991
Stoneware with platinum glaze
9 1/4 x 6 3/4 in.
$ 6,850
OGAWA MACHIKO (b. 1946)
Red Vessel
2021
Porcelain and stoneware with iron-oxide matte glaze
15 1/2 x 13 1/4 in.
SOLD
OGAWA MACHIKO (b. 1946)
Copper-glazed rounded plate with incised concentric triangular linear patterning
ca. 2005
Glazed stoneware
2 3/8 x 9 3/4 x 8 7/8 in.
$ 3,500
FUKAMI SUEHARU (b. 1947)
Thickly walled, seihakuji (bluish-white) glazed, covered box sculpture;
titled, Hako no katachi (Box Form); Ma (Space)
2002
Glazed porcelain
8 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in.
$ 18,500
FUKAMI SUEHARU (b. 1947)
Seihakuji (bluish-white) glazed, curving, blade-like sculpture;
titled, Ao (Blue)
2021
Glazed porcelain
52 3/4 x 3 x 2 3/4 in.
SOLD
KAKUREZAKI RYŪICHI (b. 1950)
Faceted Bizen marbleized teabowl with tetsu Oribe glaze
2021
Unglazed stoneware with Oribe glaze in interior
4 3/8 x 5 1/8 x 4 3/8 in.
SOLD
KAKUREZAKI RYŪICHI (b. 1950)
Tapered conical vessel of blended clay with white glazed collar and fire marks at base
2021
Partially glazed stoneware, fired in an anagama kiln
SOLD
MIWA KAZUHIKO (MIWA KYŪSETSU XIII) (b. 1951)
Hagi-glazed striated teabowl with pinkish-white, thick crawling glaze
2021
Glazed stoneware
4 3/8 x 5 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.
SOLD
KANETA MASANAO (b. 1953)
Hook-shaped vessel with Hagi glaze and extensive kiln effects
2009
Glazed stoneware
11 7/8 x 8 5/8 x 9 1/2 in.
$ 5,850
KANETA MASANAO (b. 1953)
Multi-planar rock-like sculptural form with Hagi kohiki glaze
2021
Glazed stoneware
15 3/4 x 13 3/4 in.
$ 9,500
KANETA MASANAO (b. 1953)
Ware-kōdai (split-cross footed) Hagi teabowl with kairagi (crawling glaze) effect
2021
Glazed stoneware
5 3/4 x 5 5/8 x 5 1/4 in.
SOLD
YAGI AKIRA (b. 1955)
Seihakuji (bluish-white) glazed shallow, oblong, footed bowl with furling rim
and two carp in relief in interior
ca. 1995
Glazed porcelain
5 1/4 x 17 1/8 x 10 1/4 in.
SOLD
YAGI AKIRA (b. 1955)
Seihakuji (bluish-white) glazed incense burner with textured flaring skirt
2012
Glazed porcelain
5 1/4 x 4 1/4 in.
SOLD
AKIYAMA YŌ (b. 1953)
Double walled, concave sculptural form; titled, Untitled MV-224
2022
Unglazed stoneware with rusted iron coating
13 x 8 1/2 in.
SOLD
KITAMURA JUNKO (b. 1956)
Lozenge-shaped impressed vessel; titled, Vessel 95
1995
Stoneware with black slip, inlaid with white slip
13 3/4 x 6 1/4 in.
SOLD
KONDŌ TAKAHIRO (b. 1958)
Blue-glazed, carved checkerboard platter with “silver mist” overglaze
ca. 2001
Glazed porcelain
2 3/4 x 13 1/2 x 24 in.
$ 12,500
KONDŌ TAKAHIRO (b. 1958)
Blue-glazed, bowl with a raised foot and dripping “silver mist” overglaze
2022
Porcelain with blue underglaze and “silver mist” overglaze
3 1/2 x 6 1/4 in.
SOLD
KONDŌ TAKAHIRO (b. 1958)
Blue-glazed, bowl with a raised foot and dripping “silver mist” overglaze
2022
Porcelain with blue underglaze and “silver mist” overglaze
3 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.
SOLD
Photo by Taya Mariko
Gallery ZOOM Talk, July 26 2022
In partnership with Asia Week New York
Listening to Clay: The Artists, Curators, and Collectors Who Listen
To celebrate the publication of Listening to Clay: Conversations with Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Artists, and the accompanying gallery exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD, authors Alice and Halsey North and Louise Allison Cort discuss in depth their personal relationships with these sixteen artists who formed the basis for this book. From their perspectives as collectors, they offer a behind-the-scenes look at these artists gleaned over many years and share valuable insights into the artworks by these men and women. They are joined by Metropolitan Museum of Art curator of Japanese decorative arts, Monika Bincsik, who recounts the importance of the Norths' gift to the Met Museum. In her recent reinstallation of the Great Hall Balcony, she re-contextualizes the work of these artists in conversation with their Western counterparts.
PANELISTS:
MONIKA BINCSIK, Diane and Arthur Abbey Associate Curator for Japanese Decorative Arts, Metropolitan Museum of Art
LOUISE CORT, Curator Emerita at the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution
ALICE AND HALSEY NORTH, Japanese clay art collectors and museum patrons
Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS
The full recording of this event is now available on our website
Listening to Clay
An exhibition of works selected by the artists featured in this new publication
July 20 – August 26, 2022
All sixteen artists showcased in Listening to Clay: Conversations with Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Artists (Monacelli Press/release date: June 14, 2022) are participating in our next exhibition in honor of this book's publication. Works that best embody the inspirations, challenges, and achievements of their distinguished careers have been selected for this special exhibition.
Most of the artists have been long represented by Joan B Mirviss LTD, who has witnessed their impressive artistic development over the decades. Accompanied by the rich personal stories found within the book, the clay works on offer in the exhibition Listening to Clay represent these artists' innovative brilliance and encapsulate the diversity of ceramics in Japan today.
Across many journeys to Japan, and multiple intimate conversations with each master artist, Alice and Halsey North, pioneering collectors and museum patrons, together with Louise Allison Cort, Curator Emerita of Ceramics, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC), have compiled these discussions and added their valuable insights into a beautifully illustrated collector's volume, only now available. It uniquely brings together the very personal stories of these artists whose work range across a variety of traditions, styles, and techniques that characterize Japan's exciting modern clay landscape. Conversations with artists who were born into legacy pottery-making families steeped in tradition are presented alongside those with the first women to study clay in newly-established university degree programs. The gallery exhibition Listening to Clay likewise showcases this trailblazing array of talent.
The gallery exhibition runs from July 20 to August 26, 2022. It will feature works by all sixteen artists in the book, Listening to Clay (listed in chronological order):
Hayashi Yasuo (b. 1928),
Mishima Kimiyo (b. 1932),
Morino Hiroaki Taimei (b. 1934),
Kohyama Yasuhisa (b. 1936),
Miyashita Zenji (1939-2012),
Miwa Ryūkishō (Kyūsetsu XII/ Ryōsaku) (b. 1940),
Koike Shōko (b. 1943),
Ogawa Machiko (b. 1946),
Fukami Sueharu (b. 1947),
Kakurezaki Ryūichi (b. 1950),
Miwa Kyūsetsu XIII (Kazuhiko) (b. 1951),
Akiyama Yō (b. 1953),
Kaneta Masanao (b. 1953),
Yagi Akira (b. 1955),
Kitamura Junko (b. 1956),
and Kondō Takahiro (b. 1958).
With more than forty-five years of experience, Joan B. Mirviss is a pillar in the field of Japanese art. As a dealer, scholar, curator, and advisor, she has been the driving force championing the top Japanese clay artists, who she represents exclusively, and whose works she has placed in major museums around the globe. Widely published as a highly respected expert, Mirviss has built many institutional and private collections of Japanese art. JOAN B MIRVISS LTD exhibits modern and contemporary Japanese ceramics, ukiyo-e, and Japanese paintings from its exclusive Madison Avenue location in New York City.
For more information, please contact us at 212-799-4021 or director@mirviss.com.
MISHIMA KIMIYO (b. 1932), Sculpture of a red Coca-Cola cardboard box filled with six, independent (wrapped) coke bottles, 2022, Glazed stoneware, 9 1/4 x 10 5/8 x 8 1/4 in.