Kaneta Masanao VIII 八代 兼田昌尚
H20.8 × W25.4 × D22.8 cm
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Kaneta Masanao is a celebrated Hagi artist who has mastered kurinuki [carving out], a hand-building technique wherein he scoops out shapes directly from a body of clay rather than molding them on a wheel. This approach yields bold and dynamic sculptural forms, embodying a modern essence of imperfection and ephemerality, or ‘wabi-sabi’.
When his clay is forcefully thrown and kneaded into a solid mass, the surfaces clash and create energetic ridges. These clay ridges shape the backbone of the piece, like ribs or the spine. It forms the basic elements of shape that invite the viewer to connect with an imaginative world beyond what is immediately visible in his work- a snowy mountain in miniature.
As the late 1980s approached, Kaneta veered away from the confines of the potter’s wheel, opting for a more liberated approach to form and structure. This particular piece is meticulously carved from a single clay mass, bearing witness to its organically rough-hewn, natural essence.
In 1989, Kaneta proudly unveiled his inaugural solo exhibition, "Masanao Kaneta―A Ten-Year Retrospective," marking a significant milestone in his artistic journey. His oeuvre has garnered acclaim, earning placement in esteemed public collections such as the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, The Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Japan Foundation in Tokyo, The Museum of Ceramic Art in Gifu, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, among numerous others.