If the Song Dynasty's five kilns (Guan ware kiln 官窯, Ge ware kiln 哥窯, Ru ware kiln 汝窯, Ting ware kiln 定窯, and Jun ware kiln 鈞窯) represent the height of Chinese classic porcelain making, contemporary Japanese ceramics enjoy the same national status today within Japan and around the world. The work of Yoshikawa Masamichi (b. 1946) makes us ask whether contemporary Japanese ceramics might be more expressive and diverse than the Song Dynasty ceramics that inspire today’s artists.
The alluring qualities of Kayoh's celadon glaze are so much more than they appear. Like a piece of heaven fell to earth, these light-blue details belong to an artist wholly committed to innovating ceramic arts and speaking to this contemporary moment. Yoshikawa's sculptures even come with feet, like those on Chinese bronze sculptures, another reminder of the artist's connection to the cultural history that inspires him!
