Kiyoshi Hara

• Designation
  Living National Treasure (Important Intangible Cultural Property for Iron glaze)
• Category
  Ceramics
• Techniques
  Iron glaze
• Born
  1936 -
• Based in
  Saitama
• Membership
  Full member, Japan Kogei Association
  

About the Artist

Creating a Unique World with Iron Glaze

After starting his career in ceramics at the age of 18, Kiyoshi Hara has pursued his career for 70 years and still produces ceramics energetically. Using iron glaze, a technique to develop colors such as black and brown from the iron in the glaze, he expresses horses running in the fields and lovely flowers in his artwork. After studying under iron glaze ceramic artists and Living National Treasures Munemaro Ishiguro and Uichi Shimizu, he himself was designated as Living National Treasure for iron glazed ceramics in 2005. Public collections: Shimane Art Museum, Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, etc.

Style

Lifework: iron glazed ceramics, bluish opaque glazed ceramics etc.

Biography

• 1936
  Born in Shimane Prefecture
• 1954
  Studied under Munemaro Ishiguro and Uichi Shimizu, both holders of Important Intangible Cultural Property
  Started to make ceramics in Kyoto
• 1958
  Selected for the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition for the first time
• 1961
  Recommended as Full Member of the Japan Kōgei Association
• 1963
  Invited to submit to the International Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramic Art (co-organized by the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo and Asahi Shimbun)
• 1965
  Built a studio in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo
• 1970
  Invited to submit to "Contemporary Ceramics - Europe and Japan" Exhibition at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto
• 1980
  Built a studio in Yorii Town, Saitama
• 1981
  Invited to submit to "Japan-Taiwan Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition" at the National Museum of History (Taipei, Taiwan)
• 1982
  Invited to submit to the "Japanese Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition" at Hong Kong Museum of Art, co-organized by the Hong Kong City Government and Hong Kong Art School
• 1983
  Invited to submit to "Japan Ceramics Today" held at the Smithsonian National Museum of National History
  Invited to submit to the "Nationally Selected Traditional Craft Artists Exhibition" sponsored by Mainichi Shimbun
  Invited to submit to "30 Years of Modern Japanese Traditional Crafts" Exhibition co-organized by the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Agency for Cultural Affairs and Asahi Shimbun
• 1986
  Invited to submit to the Setagaya Art Museum Opening Exhibition
  ”Iron Glazed Large Jar with Horse Design" and "Bluish Opaque Glazed Large Jar" purchased by the Setagaya Art Museum
• 1990
  Evaluator at the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
  Becomes Director of the Japan Kōgei Association
  Becomes Secretary General of the Japan Kōgei Association East Japan Branch
• 1994
  Completes ceramic wall ”Hope” in the entrance Hall of the new government office building of Yorii Town, Saitama
• 1995
  Received the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon
• 1996
  Invited to submit to the "Excellent Works of Contemporary Ceramics Asian Tour Travelling Exhibition" sponsored by the Japan Foundation
• 2001
  Recommended as Full Member of the Japan Kōgei Association
• 2003
  Invited to submit to "Japan's Traditional Art Crafts A 50-Year Retrospective"
• 2004
  Becomes Executive Director of the Japan Kōgei Association
• 2005
  Designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property for iron glazed ceramics
  "Iron Glazed Large Jar with Flower and Bird Design " submitted to the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
  Invited to submit to "Japan's Traditional Art Crafts" Exhibition
• 2006
  "Iron Glazed Large Jar with Horse Design" purchased by Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
• 2007
  Invited to submit to "Crafting Beauty in Modern Japan:Celebrating Fifty Years of the Japan Traditional Art Crafts" Exhibition held at the British Museum, UK
  Received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
• 2008
  Becomes Head of the Japan Kōgei Association Ceramics Department
• 2010
  Becomes Vice Chairman of the Japan Kōgei Association
• 2011
  Craft Technique Documentary Film by the Agency for Cultural Affairs "Iron Glaze Pottery - The Art of Hara Kiyoshi" completed
  Iron Glazed Large Bowl with Flower and Bird Design purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
• 2012
  Retrospective Exhibition of 120 artworks made from his 20s through his 70s held at the Shimane Art Museum
• 2013
  "Kiyoshi Hara Exhibition"exhibiting 66 representative artworks held at the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
  Received the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon
  Becomes Councilor of the Japan Kōgei Association
• 2016
  Submitted to the "Living National Treasures" Exhibition held at Ginza Wako
• 2020
  "Living National Treasures Kosei Matsui & Kiyoshi Hara" Exhibition at the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum

Awards

• 1969
  Received the Excellence Award for "Bluish Opaque Glazed Jar" at the Traditional Kōgei New Works Exhibition
  Received the Japan Kōgei Association Chairman's Award for "Bluish Opaque Glazed Bowl" at the 16th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition (artwork purchased by the Agency for Cultural Affairs)
• 1976
  Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award
• 1997
  Received the Tokyo Governor Award for "Iron Glazed Large Bowl with Bird Design" at the 44th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition

Public Collections

• The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
• Shimane Art Museum
• Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum
• The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama