Akira Sakamoto

1965 -
  • Ceramics
  • Price Range $2,500 - 6,000
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  • Awards at Japan Kōgei Assoc. Exhibitions : 7

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    • Category
      Ceramics
    • Techniques
      Celadon
    • Born
      1965 -
    • Based in
      Tottori
    • Membership
      Full member, Japan Kogei Association
      Holder of Intangible Cultural Property of Tottori Prefecture for "Ceramics"
      Member of the Ceramic Art Society of Japan
    Akira Sakamoto

    About the Artist

    Creating New Style Celadon Porcelain with a Free Mind

    Ceramic artist Akira Sakamoto was born as the 3rd generation of the Inshu Nakai Kiln in Tottori, known widely as a kiln producing folk art. When he was in his 30s, he received the Grand Award, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum Award at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum New Works Competition and Exhibition. After reaching the top of folk crafts, Sakamoto decided to challenge the world of traditional crafts in his mid 40s. He is currently producing artwork as a folk craft artisan and a celadon porcelain artist. As a porcelain artist, he uses a technique called "kakewake", where he uses different types of glaze to create unique celadon pieces. After being selected and receiving many awards at exhibitions where the artwork of top class artists in Japan gather, he was designated as Holder of Intangible Cultural Property of Tottori for "ceramics" in 2023. Sakamoto says he is still in the process of developing. He is receiving much attention with his unconventional ideas, and his challenges going through trials and errors.

    Style

    Studied the production techniques of celadon porcelain on his own. Although his ideal celadon porcelain are those from China's Northern Song Dynasty, he has a strong desire to create a new type of celadon that is different from others and uses original combinations of glaze and various types of clay. With the folk art pottery techniques that he cultivated at the Nakai Kiln at his base, he adds new elements to the traditional celadon porcelain to create soft and sophisticated pieces with unique forms and glazes.

    Biography

    • 1965
      Born in Kawahara Town, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture
    • 1983
      Studied under his father Chikao, 2nd Generation of the Nakai Kiln
    • 1995
      Selected for the Japan Folk Crafts Museum New Works Competition and Exhibition, selected several times from this year onward
    • 1997
      Selected for the 14th Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, selected consecutively from this year onward
    • 2004
      Designated as Traditional Craftsman of Tottori Prefecture
    • 2012
      Selected for the 59th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition, selected several times from this year onward
    • 2013
      Selected for the 1st Tobiten, selected several times from this year onward
    • 2015
      Designated as Full Member of the Japan Kōgei Association
    • 2017
      Selected for the 7th Kikuchi Biennale, selected consecutively from this year onward
      Selected for the Hagi Taisho (Grand Prix) of Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition IV, selected consecutively from this year onward
    • 2019
      Selected for the Hagi Taisho (Grand Prix) of Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition V (tea ceremony ceramics exhibition)
    • 2020
      Selected for the Japan Ceramics Society Encouragement Prize Chūgoku and Shikoku Exhibition
    • 2021
      Selected for the 1st Kasama Ceramic Award Exhibition
    • 2023
      Designated as Holder of Intangible Cultural Property of Tottori Prefecture for "Ceramics"

    Awards

    • 1996
      Received the Incentive Award at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum New Works Competition and Exhibition
    • 2001
      Received the Japan Folk Crafts Museum Award at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum New Works Competition and Exhibition
    • 2005
      Received the Excellence Award / Mainichi Shimbun Award at the 18th Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition
    • 2006
      Received the Kawakami Incentive Award at the Kawakami Award Ceremony
    • 2009
      Received the Tottori Governor Award at the 52nd Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2010
      Received the Tottori Governor Award at the 53rd Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2013
      Received the Mainichi Shimbun Award at the 22nd Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition
      Received the NHK Hiroshima Broadcasting Station Manager Award at the 56th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2014
      Received the 39th Tottori City Cultural Award
    • 2015
      Received the Special Award / TOTO Award at the 23rd Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition
    • 2017
      Received the Tottori Governor Award at the 60th Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2018
      Received the Okayama Mayor Award at the 61st Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
    • 2020
      Received the Japan Kōgei Association Award at the 63rd Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition

    Public Collections

    • The Japan Folk Crafts Museum, Osaka
    • Toyota City Folk Craft Museum
    • Tottori Prefectural Museum of Art

    Official Site / Social Media etc.

    View All 14 Artworks byAkira Sakamoto