Exhibition - Jun Kaneko

Japanese-American Jun Kaneko is an internationally known master of ceramics. In his massive kilns, he creates his renowned “dangos” (the Japanese word for dumpling), massive human faces and wall slabs out of clay, finished with beautiful glazes. His painting background is evident in his work, where his monolithic ceramics become three-dimensional, inflated canvases. Working primarily with graphic, yet painterly lines and dots, his rhythmic designs offer palette ranges from black and white dots or stripes, to blues, reds and yellows set against black or white backgrounds. Kaneko constructs ceramics that weigh as much as 1,000 lbs; his simplified forms and control of the material make the pieces seem effortless. Years of patience and an understanding of the temperamental medium reveal his astute technical aptitude. After construction, his work generally takes four months of drying time and up to a 35-day firing process. At the end of this process, out of a group of 10 pieces, Kaneko may only deem two to three to be worthy of his name. The late Peter Voulkos, Kaneko’s professor at the University of California at Berkley and an influential artist in his own right, described Kaneko’s work: “His accomplishments are unrivaled in the field of ceramic art. His technical achievements alone have redefined the possibilities the medium has to offer.” He then goes on to say, “Kaneko’s ceramic works are an amazing synthesis of painting and sculpture. His works are enigmatic and elusive, simultaneously restrained and powerful, Eastern and Western, static and alive, intellectual and playful, technical and innovative.” Kaneko’s exhibition history spans over 40 years and is included in many public collections. A few of these collections include: the De Young Museum, Detroit Institute of Art, San Francisco Museum of Fine Art, Honolulu Academy of Art, Oakland Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Smithsonian National Museum of American Art, Wakayama Museum of Modern Art, The National Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan, and The Olympic Museum of Ceramic Sculpture in Athens, Greece.

Location: Gail Severn Gallery

June 23 - July 21, 2008.

Gallery Hours:
Monday - Saturday 9am-6pm.
Sundays 12pm-6pm.