The Kanazawa artist Nakamura Kinpei is celebrated for his radically expressive and sculptural stoneware, hand-built ceramics. His hand-built vessels feature roughly textured bodies that consist of overlapping torn slabs with impressed markings, adorned with vivid glazes such as blue, green, or salt-glazed orange. He is inspired by Jomon ceramics, and there is certainly something archaeological in his work. His work is held in several museums and institutions both internationally and domestically in Japan. His brothers, Nakamura Takuo and Nakamura Kohei are also celebrated ceramic artists. 

Artist biography:

1955　 Withdrew from Kanazawa College of Art,

　　　 Studied cooking and Rosanjin's pottery at Nakajima in Ginza, Tokyo

1969　 Fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation,

conducting comparative research on Japanese and American ceramics

1982 Exhibited "ARTand/orCRAFT: Decorating Today - USA,JAPAN"

1988 Confronted traditional crafts with a solo exhibition, "Japanese Hobby: An Answer".

1993 Awarded the Minister of Education's Art Encouragement Prize for the exhibition

"Tokyo Ware: Exploring the Present through Meta-ceramics"

　　　 Awarded the Art Encouragement Prize

by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

2006 Professor, Department of Crafts, Tama Art University

2014 Solo exhibition "Tokyo Ware Installation" at Oita Prefectural Museum of Art, commemorating the completion of the museum.

Selected permanent collections:

Rockefeller Foundation, U.S.A.

Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, France

International Museum of Ceramics, Italy

National Museum of Wales, England

Scripps College, U.S.A.

Ariana Museum of Art, Switzerland

The Museum of Modern Art, Toyama

Hokkaido Museum of Art

Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum

Kure City Art Museum

Brooklyn Museum, U.S.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Honolulu Academy of Arts

Everson Museum, U.S.A.

Aichi Ceramic Museum

Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park

Seoul Museum of Art, Korea

Suntory Museum of Art

The Japan Foundation

Porvoo Museum, Finland

Design Museum, Finland

EKWC, Netherlands

Wakayama Prefectural Museum of Art 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan

Takamatsu City Museum of Art, Takamatsu, Japan

Foshan Museum of Ceramic Art, Foshan, China