Ryuichi Kakurezaki

About the Artist

Unique artwork created with clay and fire

Bizen ware is one of the six ancient kilns where the production of ceramics began in Japan, and has a history of 800 years. Ceramic artist Ryuichi Kakurezaki moved to Bizen from his hometown, and has been producing Bizen ware ceramics to enhance and develop its long tradition. As he says, "I want to treasure my connection with clay", the charm of his artwork is the texture of clay and the colors made by firing. The forms of his artwork are new and original, and he has been invited several times to exhibit at exhibitions in famous museums around the world. He received the MEXT Award at the 69th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (2022). He is one of the ceramists representing Bizen, and actively promoting Bizen ware.

Biography

• 1950
  Born in Fukue City, Nagasaki Prefecture
• 1973
  Graduated from the Osaka University of Arts
• 1985
  Guest professor at the Skidmore College, New York
• 1990
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  Submitted to the International Garden and Greenery Exposition, Osaka, Japan
• 1992
  Submitted to 100 Selections of Contemporary Japanese Craft Exhibition (Mitsukoshi Etoile Museum, Paris and various places in Japan, sponsered by NHK)
• 1996
  Submitted to “Masterpieces of Contemporary Japanese Ceramics” Asia Touring Exhibition (China, Thailand, Malaysia, returned to Japan in 1997, organized by the Japan Foundation)
• 1997
  Submitted to the “The Traditional Beauty of 1000 years - Japanese Bizen Ware” Exhibition at the National Ceramics Museum, Sèvres, France
• 2000
  Invited to submit to the “The Japanese Art of Tea: Modern Teaware from the Collections of the Tanabe Museum of Art” at the Helsinki Art Museum
• 2002
  Submitted to the “International Asia-Pacific Contemporary Ceramics Invitational Exhibition” at the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum
• 2003
  Submitted to the “Japanese Ceramics Today” Exhibition at Musee Tomo
• 2004
  Submitted to the “Charm of Bizen Ware” Exhibition at the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
• 2005
  Submitted to the “Contemporary Clay” Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
• 2006
  Submitted to the “Contemporary Clay” Exhibition at the Japan Society (New York)
• 2009
  Sanin Shimbun 130th Anniversary, Okayama - Kyoto Cultural Forum Lecture "Tradition and Creation"
• 2010
  Submitted to "About the Tea Ceremony~A Viewpoint on Contemporary Kōgei (Studio Crafts)" at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
• 2012
  Invited to submit to "Contemporary KOGEI Styles in Japan" Exhibition (Florida, USA)
• 2016
  Craft Arts: Innovation of “Tradition and Avant-Garde,” and the Present Day Exhibition at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
• 2017
  Woodfire NC Conference (USA)
• 2018
  "The Bizen -From Earth and Fire, Exquisite Forms-" Exhibition at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
• 2020
  Assigned by The Japan Foundation to give a lecture in Faenza, Italy

Awards

• 1982
  Received the Sanyo Shimbun Award at the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition
• 1986
  Received the Issuikai Award at the Issuikai Ceramics Exhibition (also received in 1990)
• 1988
  Received the Grand Prize at the Tanabe Museum of Art “Arts of the Tea Ceremony” Exhibition (also received in 1992)
• 1989
  Awarded at the 1st Ceramics Biennale ’89
• 1993
  Received the Incentive Award at the Sogetsu Foundation Flower Vases Exhibition
• 1995
  Received the Excellence Award at the MOA Mokichi Okada Awards, and held a Commemorative Exhibition at the same museum
• 1996
  Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award
• 1997
  Received the Sanyo Shimbun Grand Prize at the 48th Okayama Art Exhibition
• 2008
  Received the Excellence Award at the Musee Tomo Prize, Contemporary Ceramics for the Tea Ceremony Exhibition
• 2009
  Received the Kaneshige Toyo Award at the Chūgoku Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2014
  Received the 56th Mainichi Art Award sponsered by the Mainichi Newspapers
• 2015
  Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award, Gold Award for 2014
• 2019
  Designated as Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property of Okayama
• 2025
  Japan Kōgei Association Important Intangible Cultural Property Holder Award, 72nd Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition