Shigaraki

Pottery production in Shigaraki, Japan dates to the 13th century, and today it is one of Japan’s most important ceramic centers. Located near both Kyoto and Jun Kaneko’s hometown of Nagoya, the Shigaraki valley is rich with a coarse-grained stoneware clay that lends itself particularly well to large, simple shapes. In 1991, upon the opening of the Shigaraki Work Center, Kaneko began a project in the new space. Kaneko’s reputation as a master ceramicist was well-established, and although he spent much of his time in Shigaraki giving demonstrations, lectures, and workshops, he also built and fired the first of his Dangos to be made in Japan,  along with many smaller pieces. 

Kaneko returned to the Shigaraki Work Center in 1995, this time with his friend, mentor, and fellow ceramicist Peter Voulkos. Over the course of the next year, the two artists worked in neighboring studios within the facility. The sculptures they created in Shigaraki were exhibited in 1996 at the Kenji Taki Gallery in Nagoya.