Picturesque Pottery Ceramics Enjoying Art from Mingei to the PresentClosed

To those who wish to visit the "Picturesque Pottery: Ceramics Enjoying Art from Mingei to the Present″ exhibition.

Time-specific reservations are required for visits on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

All advance reservations are no longer accepted.

The admission fee is to be paid upon your visit.
We are not accepting reservations by phone or at the museum reception.
Once the reservation is complete, you may not change the date or time of your visit.
Please refrain from making reservations for more than one time slot or day.

Exhibition Overview

The Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art has continued to showcase exhibitions themed around modern and contemporary ceramics. This exhibition explores its appeal as art, placing emphasis on the intersection of ceramics and pictorials expression.
In many cases, the surface of ceramics is composed of rich tones and textures. Through the colors, forms, and motifs of each piece, this exhibition attempts to unravel the thoughts and artistic perspectives of creators who take on innovative challenges across genres. It features approximately 50 artists, including founders of modern ceramics, Kenkichi Tomimoto and Bernard Leach, Kanjirō Kawai and Shōji Hamada, who promoted the Mingei movement, and ceramicists who brought innovation to traditional techniques, pioneers of Avant-Garde ceramics, masters of tea ceramics, British and Danish artists, and other artists born between the 1960s and 80s. Featuring approximately 120 works, the exhibition presents a fresh collaborative showcase.

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Dates: July 12 Saturday – September 15 Monday, 2025

Hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Open until 8 p.m. on August 1, 29, September 12 and 13)
Admittance until 30 minutes before closing time.

Closed: Wednesdays (except for September 10), August 12-15

Admission: Adults: ¥1,200
Visitors aged 65 or over with valid documentation: ¥1,100
Students (high school and college): ¥700
Admission is free for children in middle school or younger. Admission is free for disability passbook holders and up to one accompanying adult. Click here to access the discount voucher page.

Organizer: Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art

Support: Minato City Board of Education

[Notice] The display of Zetsu by Jun Nishida (nos. 114, 115) has been cancelled due to conservation reasons.

Click here for directions to the Museum

Exhibition highlights

1.From Modern Art to 21st-Century Expression: A New Dialogue Between Ceramics and Painting

This exhibition offers an experimental exploration of unique ceramic artists, spanning from the modern era to the present day. Each work is examined through the lens of color, shape, matière, and more, inviting visitors to discover ceramics in a new light.

2.From Timeless Masterpieces to Discovering Hidden Gems

The exhibition sheds light on seminal works by modern masters in ceramics such as Bernard Leach, Kanjiro Kawai, and Axel Salto, along with recent creations by contemporary ceramic artists. It is curated to welcome all visitors, from ceramics enthusiasts to families looking to enjoy the summer holidays.

3.Concurrent Exhibition: The Artistry of Georges Rouault

A special exhibition titled The Artistry of Georges Rouault is held alongside this exhibition, highlighting Rouault’s works related to ceramics. Featuring approximately 20 pieces, the exhibition is centered on the museum’s Rouault collection.

Prologue: Intersecting Pottery with Painting

The exhibition begins by exploring the pottery and drawings of Bernard Leach (1887- 1979), the British artist who began his journey in ceramics in Japan. Framing the exploration around his works, it delves into what it means for pottery and painterly expression to converse.

1. Painting on Ceramics

This section focuses on the painted ceramics and brushwork of ceramic masters such as Kenkichi Tomimoto (1886-1963), Rosanjin Kitaoji (1883-1959), Munemaro Ishiguro (1893-1968), and Yuzo Kondo (1902-1985), who laid the foundations for contemporary studio pottery.

Rosanjin Kitaoji, *Rectangular dish, Oribe type,*
1949、 Pottery, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

2. The Emergence of Color

The Emergence of Color explores approaches to color expression in the work of modern ceramic artists. Works by Kanjiro Kawai (1890-1966) and Shoji Hamada (1894-1978) can be enjoyed alongside paintings by Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and Georges Rouault.

Kanjiro Kawai, *Flat jar, splashed three-color glaze*,
1960s, Pottery, Private collection
Photo by Takao Ohya

3. Matière: The Power of Textures

There are various methods for firing clay beyond wood-fired kilns, including electric and gas kilns. As more artists explore creative approaches to firing that go beyond traditional techniques, this section focuses on the expression of surface textures that emerge from such methods. Works by Rosanjin Kitaoji, Shoji Kamoda (1933-1983), and Kouichi Uchida (1969-) are examined to highlight this aspect.

4. The Search for Shape

The Search for Shape explores how artists have engaged with the pursuit of shape—the heart of ceramic production. It features the works of Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988), alongside Hikaru Yamada (1923-2001), Shoji Kamoda, and Sueharu Fukami (1947-).

Shoji Kamoda, *Colored angular vase*,
1972, Pottery, Private collection
Photo by Takao Ohya

5. The Imagery of Vessels

Centered around artists from the UK and Denmark, this section highlights the imagery of vessels, a key element in ceramic art.

Axel Salto, *Vase,*
1946, Pottery, Private collection
Photo by Takao Ohya

Lucie Rie, *Vase with spiral design, volcanic glaze,*
ca.1978, Pottery, Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum

6. Embodying Motifs

Embodying Motifs introduces artists who explore ceramic techniques and characteristics of ceramics in their pursuit of motif-driven expression. It highlights figurative expressions of artists like Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) and Rudy Autio (1926- 2007), as well as representational expressions by Kimpei Nakamura (1935-) and Yuriko Matsuda (1943-).

Yuriko Matsuda, *Watermelon water jug (Homage to Frida Kahlo Series)*,
1996, Porcelain, Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu

7. Traversing Between Planes and Solids

In recent years, interdisciplinary expressions in ceramics have become increasingly prominent. This section focuses on contemporary artists born between the 1960s and 1980s, exploring how two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms intersect, and reflecting on the nature of artistic expression.

Hiroko Masuko, *Traces of Change: From the Paintings of Masu Minakawa*,
2020, Pottery, letter, display cabinet, Collection of the Artist
Photo by Kentaro Yoshida

8. Firing and Form

In its final section, the exhibition gathers contemporary ceramic artists who rethink the act of firing, featuring the works of Ryoji Koie (1938-2020), Takuro Kuwata (1981-) and others.

Exhibit Artists (in random order)

Bernard Leach, Kenkichi Tomimoto, Rosanjin Kitaoji, Munemaro Ishiguro, Yuzo Kondo, Kanjiro Kawai, Shoji Hamada, Henri Matisse, Georges Rouault, Tokuro Kato, Kosei Matsui, Yasokichi Tokuda Ⅲ, Lucio Fontana, Isamu Noguchi, Hikaru Yamada, Shoji Kamoda, Togaku Mori, Tatsusuke Kuriki, Sueharu Fukami, Ryoji Koie, Jun Kawaguchi, Etsuko Tashima, Kimpei Nakamura, Yuriko Matsuda, Ryukisho Miwa, Pablo Picasso, Rudy Autio, Grayson Perry, David Hockney, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Elizabeth Fritsch, Chris Keenan, Edmund de Waal, Axel Salto, Bodil Manz, Kouichi Uchida, Naoko Okamoto, Keigo Kamide, Jiro Kamota, Kazuhito Kawai, Takuro Kuwata, Yoshiou Sakagishi, Taro Tabuchi, Aico Tsumori, Tomoyuki Hoshino, Hiroko Masuko, Heechang Yoon

Concurrent Exhibition: The Artistry of Georges Rouault

French painter Georges Rouault (1871-1958) worked with ceramics, depicting figures and still lifes while exploring the same themes across two-dimensional and three-dimensional mediums. This exhibition highlights his painted ceramics and revisits the brushwork, coloring, materials, and creative processes evident in his two-dimensional works. It delves into the craftsmanship and artisanal qualities that define Rouault’s work. Featuring approximately 20 pieces, the exhibition is centered on the museum’s Rouault collection.