Shakunaga Gaku
- EXHIBITION
01/3
Shakunaga comes from a family of traditional Etchu Seto ware potters. He studied sculpture in college, followed by ceramics at a ceramics school in Kyoto. In 2006, he opened his own studio in Iwase. He previously made ceramic sculptures but has mostly shifted his focus to tableware. His ceramic works are notably unceramic-looking, with textures resembling leather, wood, and cork. He is best known for dishes that position the vessel’s foot on top rather than the bottom. The surface is carved out in the same sculptural process used to carve a regular foot. Shakunaga also produces tableware with a leather-like texture using a glaze he developed for ceramic sculptures. Most of his tableware is purchased by restaurants. His works in this exhibition include large ceramics that illustrate his proficiency as a sculptor.