SHIGARAKI: Contemporary Artists on an Ancient Tradition

ZOOM Gallery Talk Shigaraki: Contemporary Artists on an Ancient Tradition Recorded February 23, 2023 Known for its distinctive clay and beautiful natural ash glazes, Shigaraki ware is one of Japan’s celebrated ceramic traditions. As one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kiln sites, Shigaraki has long produced functional vessels with a characteristic rustic appearance in warm, earthy tones. This enormously appealing tradition found a new audience with American artists and collectors in the past few decades, thereby expanding our idea of Shigaraki-yaki’s possibilities. Curator Natsu Oyobe shares this remarkable crossover story, which is the subject of her current exhibition, “Clay as Soft Power.” She is joined by artists who will offer key insights into their process of working in this fascinating medium: Shiga-based Ōtani Shirō, a leader in wood-fired ceramics and designated an Intangible Cultural Asset, and American artist Peter Callas, whose originality has pushed the field in new directions and