Keichitsu ( 啓蟄 ) Out of Hibernation

Kazurezaki Ryuchi

Kakurezaki Ryūichi is a highly celebrated artist whose exhibitions in Japan often sell out within minutes of opening. Kakurezaki lives and works in Imbe, the ancient home of Bizen ware.While he works within the tradition of Bizen, his work is quite aesthetically different from conventional Bizen wares. He is quoted as saying "I do not intend to create something avant-garde in the Bizen style. My works are always functional, and I create 'crafts' that are indispensable for everyday life. I think it important that professional potters should create something in response to the needs of our society. My preference is to be seen as a craftsman whose work is avant-garde, rather than an avant-garde artist."

Ryuichi Kakurezaki Bizen Work 炉 furnace 　銀彩香炉 高さ　9.0ｃｍ、胴径　10.2ｃｍ Ryuichi Kakurezaki(b.1950-) created a new wave in the ceramic art. Initially his style was so unique in Bizen. Being accepted by Japanese academic people seemed to be hard. But his finely designed functional pieces became more and more popular. He gained uncountable number of awards and his style became very popular in the modern ceramic art. Now he established a new tradition in the history.

RYUICHI KAKUREZAKI (b.1950-)1950 Born in Nagasaki1973 Graduated from Osaka University of Art1988 Grand Prize, the 5th Contemporary Tea Ceremony Utensils Exhibition, Tanabe Museum (also in 1992) 1990 Became an official member of Japan Craft Association1995 Grand Prize, the 8th MOA Okada Mokichi Award1996 The Japan Ceramics Association Award1997 Bizen Ware, A Thousand Years of Traditional Beauty, National Ceramic Museum, France1999 50 MAITRES Les arts applique dans le Japon Contemporain, Mitsukoshi Paris/Tokyo2000 Invited to Tea Ceremony: Contemporary Forms, Helsinki Museum, Finland2005 Contemporary Clay: Japanese Ceramics for the New Century,Museum of Fine Arts, Boston / Japan society, USA2010 About the Tea Ceremony, A viewpoint on Contemporary Kôgei, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo