Masahiro Maeda

About the Artist

Ceramics that give pleasure and brighten those who see it

Masahiro Maeda is a ceramic artist who celebrated his 50th year as an artist in 2022. After graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School, he participated in various exhibitions in Japan and overseas. In 2009, he received the top award at the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition, the Japan Kōgei Association Chairman Award, and established a firm position as an artist. His artwork is not only collected by art museums in Japan, but also by famous museums overseas including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. He is known for his unique lattice patterns that he creates using his original technique, which is repeating the process of applying extremely thin masking tape on the vessel, coloring and firing. He says, "the basics of crafts are to be bright, fun and beautiful". His colorful artwork of various sizes gives pleasure to those who see and use his artwork.

Style

Forming porcelain clay on a potter's wheel and applying overglaze decoration using western colors after glost firing. I try to create a new picturesque way of expressing by hiding the white porcelain base with the decorations.

Biography

• 1948
  Born in Kumihamacho, Kyoto
• 1975
  Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School, Department of Crafts, Ceramics Master's Course
• 1983
  "Japanese Ceramics Today" at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (Washington D.C.) and Victoria and Albert Museum (London)
• 1991
  "To the Next Generation – New Arts of the Tea Ceremony" Exhibition (Nihombashi Mitsukoshi)
• 1992
  100 Selections of Contemporary Japanese Craft Exhibition (Mitsukoshi Etoile Museum, Paris, Nihombashi Mitsukoshi)
• 1994
  "Adventures of the Hand" Exhibition at the Miyagi Museum of Art
• 1996
  Masterpieces of Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Asia Touring Exhibition (The Japan Foundation)
• 1997
  Judge and Evaluator of the Traditional Kōgei New Works Exhibition (2000, 01, 06, 07)
• 2000
  Masahiro Maeda Exhibition (Daishinen Art Museum,Takahagi, Ibaraki)
• 2002
  Judge and Evaluator of the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (2010, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20)
  The Ceramics of Kanagawa - The Beauty of Vessels Exhibition (Kanagawa Kenmin Hall Gallery)
  100 Years of Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition (Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu)
• 2003
  Japanese Ceramics Today at Musee Tomo
• 2005
  Relocated studio to Roppongi, Tokyo
  Held Roppongi Ceramics Club
• 2006
  Cool & Sophisticated: Contemporary Master Ceramists of Eastern Japan (Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum)
• 2007
  Masahiro Maeda Iro-e Ceramics Exhibition (Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art)
• 2009
  Aka, Kuro, Kin, Gin, Midori, Ao - In Praise of Colors Maeda Masahiro Exhibition (Musee Tomo)
• 2010
  Judge and Evaluator at the East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (2011, 14, 19)
• 2013
  Colourful x Monochrome - Maeda Masahiro x Japanese-style Painting Exhibition (Yoshizawa Memorial Museum of Art, Sano)
  8th Paramita Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition (Paramita Museum)
  "From Crafts to Kōgei” Exhibition at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
• 2016
  The Japan Foundation Touring Exhibition "Contemporary Japanese Crafts" (Lecture, demonstration, and workshop at the Latvia exhibition)
  Opened "Maeda MasahiroInstitute of Porcelain" in Bashamichi, Yokohama
• 2017
  83 Selected Treasures of the Heisei Era (Yakushiji Temple)
• 2020
  Kōgei 2020 - The Art of Crafting Beauty from Nature (Tokyo National Museum Hyokeikan)
• 2021
  Tokyo 2020 NIPPON Festival
  Masahiro Maeda’s Ceramics’ 50th Anniversary Exhibition “Landscape in Colours: Blue, Yellow, Black, Green and Red” (online exhibition)
  (Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Kanagawa Prefectural Government)

Awards

• 1988
  Received the Japan Kogei Association Incentive Award at the 35th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 1998
  Received the Incentive Award at the 38th Traditional Kōgei New Works Exhibition
• 2005
  Received the Excellence Award at the 1st Kikuchi Biennale
• 2008
  Received the Excellence Award at the 2nd Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramics for the Tea Ceremony
• 2009
  Received the Japan Kōgei Association President Award at the 56th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
• 2010
  Received the MOA Museum of Art Award at the 17th Mokichi Okada Award Exhibition
• 2011
  Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award
• 2015
  Received the 6th Creative Traditions Award from the Japan Arts Foundation
• 2017
  Received the Excellence Award at the 37th POLA Traditional Culture Award (POLA Foundation of Japanese Culture)
• 2019
  Received the 68th Kanagawa Cultural Award (Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa Shimbun)
• 2020
  Received the 69th Yokohama Cultural Award (Yokohama City)

Public Collections

• Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Muiseum of Art
• Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
• Musee Tomo
• Japan Foundation
• Yoshizawa Memorial Museum of Art, Sano
• MOA Museum of Art
• Tokyo Art Club
• Yakushiji Temple
• The Art Institute of Chicago (USA)
• The Philadelphia Museum of Art (USA)
• The Walters Art Museum (Maryland, USA)
• The Asian Art Museum (San Francisco, USA)
• Brooklyn Museum (New York, USA)
• Museum of Arts and Design (New York, USA)