Connection
Akashi Ryōtarō was inspired by the celadon masterpieces of Itaya Hazan (1872–1963), a pioneer of modern Japanese ceramics. Akashi studied at the Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts, where he completed his graduate degree. Later, he built his own kiln in Chiba Prefecture and has taught many students at a local ceramics school he founded for the past twenty years. For his characteristic sculptures, Akashi draws inspiration from the natural world, including sea creatures, plants, or the microscopic images of blood cells. Through these patterns, he hopes to reveal the forces that define life.
Akashi creates his compositions using porcelain or black clay, either wheel-thrown or hand-built. After the first firing, he painstakingly carves and incises the surface of the work. Then, he applies a metallic glaze which often creates the illusion that his pieces are made from metal. The wide variety of his shapes and surface textures as well as his unique palette have earned Akashi recognition in the world of Japanese ceramics. His latest sculptures demonstrate a deep level of intricacy, including the application of a new blue-green metallic color effect, which he achieves through multiple firings utilizing a copper or ash underglaze and his signature platinum overglaze. This multistep process enables him to preserve his sculptures’ sharp, clean lines. The artist strives to capture the complexity he carefully observes in nature and the emotional response these encounters evoke.
Akashi creates his compositions using porcelain or black clay, either wheel-thrown or hand-built. After the first firing, he painstakingly carves and incises the surface of the work. Then, he applies a metallic glaze which often creates the illusion that his pieces are made from metal. The wide variety of his shapes and surface textures as well as his unique palette have earned Akashi recognition in the world of Japanese ceramics. His latest sculptures demonstrate a deep level of intricacy, including the application of a new blue-green metallic color effect, which he achieves through multiple firings utilizing a copper or ash underglaze and his signature platinum overglaze. This multistep process enables him to preserve his sculptures’ sharp, clean lines. The artist strives to capture the complexity he carefully observes in nature and the emotional response these encounters evoke.
Artwork Details
- Tsunagaru 繋
- Title: Connection
- Artist: Akashi Ryōtarō 明石竜太郎 (Japanese, born 1971)
- Period: Reiwa (2019–present)
- Date: 2023
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Stoneware with platinum and copper glaze; black granite base
- Dimensions: H. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm); W. 10 5/8 in. (27 cm); D. 10 5/8 in. (27 cm)
- Classification: Ceramics
- Credit Line: William R. Appleby Fund, 2023
- Object Number: 2023.511a, b
- Rights and Reproduction: © Akashi Ryōtarō
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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