Bizen ceramic by Miyao Masahiro, c. 2005. Photo: Chris Cassidy Courtesy of Portland Japanese Garden.
Earthen Elegance: The Ceramic Art of Bizen
Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, OR - To Jun 9
Bizen is one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan—ceramic production sites with histories as long as 1,000 years. Its unglazed wares have a beige and biscuity look from the chemicals in the clay. No glaze was needed when artisans could manipulate the winds of hot ash inside the hillside kilns to scorch marks on their vessels. Earthen Elegance shows how contemporary Bizen artists are still using the old skills to make modern and even avant-garde sculptures.
