Osamu Suzuki

• Designation
  Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property for Shino ware)
• Category
  Ceramics
• Techniques
  Shino ware
• Born
  1934 -
• Based in
  Gifu
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  

About the Artist

Great Master of Shino Type

Ceramic artist Osamu Suzuki was designated as Living National Treasure for Shino type when he was 59 years old. He celebrated his 90th birthday in 2024 and continues to make ceramics as an active artist with the longest history as holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property. While helping his father's work as a ceramic engineer, he himself started his career in ceramics and became independent. It was said that Shino type could only be made in wood-fired kilns, but when he was in his 30s, he tried firing Shino type in a gas kiln and succeeded. Since then, he has been trying to produce ceramics using methods in line with the times, and continues to produce ceramics today.

Style

The majority of my works are Shino ware, but my aim is to be creative and original.
To fulfill this aim, I have experimented and explored in my own way different modes of expression, unconventional production methods, and ways of thinking about ceramics.
Fifty years have passed since I first started making ceramics, and I have consistently followed this path. In the future I will stick to this approach, but I also want to take up many challenges in fields of ceramics other than Shino ware.

Biography

• 1934
  Born in Dachi Town, Toki City
• 1959
  Submitted to the 8th Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Arts Exhibition (hosted by Asahi Shimbun) for the first time (Honorable Mention)
  Selected for the 6th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1964
  Invited to submit to the International Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramic Art at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
• 1967
  First solo exhibition titled “1st Suzuki Osamu Ceramics Exhibition” at Nihonbashi Takashimaya
• 1968
  Invited to submit to the “New Generation of Ceramic Art in Japan” Exhibition at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
• 1983
  Submitted to the “Japanese Ceramics Today―Masterworks from the Kikuchi！” Exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in the USA and the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK
• 1985
  Exhibited one set of banquet tableware at the solo exhibition titled “Ryuryo Tensho” (Kikuchi Guest House, Toranomon)
• 1994
  Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder of Shino Ware
• 1995
  Received the Medal with Purple Ribbon
• 1998
  Held the “Osamu Suzuki Exhibition”, hosted by Asahi Shimbun, at Mitsukoshi Etoile Art Gallery, Paris
• 1999
  Held a return exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi and Nagoya Mitsukoshi
• 2001
  “Shino – Living National Treasure Suzuki Osamu Exhibition” hosted by Nikkei, Chunichi Shimbun and Television Aichi Broadcasting at Nihonbashi Takashimaya, Osaka Nanba Takashimaya, Kyoto Shijo Takashimaya, Yokohama Takashimaya, and Nagoya Matsuzakaya Museum
• 2006
  Received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
• 2010
  “Ryuryo Tensho – Shino Wares of Suzuki Osamu Exhibition” at Musee Tomo

Awards

• 1961
  Received the President of NHK Prize at the 8th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1962
  Received the Grand Prix at the Prague International Ceramics Competition
• 1967
  Received the Chairman of Japan Art Crafts Association Prize at the 14th Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition
• 1968
  Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award
• 1982
  Received the Japan Ceramic Society Gold Award
• 1987
  Received the Minister of Education, Science and Culture Prize at the Geijutsu Sensho Awards
• 2006
  Received the Grand Prize at the 1st Musee Tomo Prize, Contemporary Ceramics for the Tea Ceremony Exhibition
• 2010
  Received the Excellence Award at the 3rd Musee Tomo Prize, Contemporary Ceramics for the Tea Ceremony Exhibition