Transcendent Clay: Kondō, A Century of Japanese Ceramic Art

NOW ON VIEW AT SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM: July 7, 2026- January 3, 2027

This catalogue celebrates an exhibition of ceramics by four members of the Kondō family, drawn from the holdings of American collectors Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz. Spanning a century of creativity, Transcendent Clay offers a panorama of the families achievements, from a group of perfectly formed vases with sprightly painted decoration to a half-collapsed outsize jar that interrogates the future trajectory of clay as an artistic medium.

Most of the catalogue is devoted to Kondō Takahiro, living representative of the Kondō lineage. Hand-formed, slab-built, molded, carved, marbleized, or cast from porcelain, other clays, or even glass, his work bears witness to an unwavering commitment to personal, technical, and artistic development; a tireless exploration of the concept of ‘water born of fire’ and the aesthetics of impermanence; and a deeply felt response to natural and man-made disasters and other pressing issues of shared global concern.

Publisher: Lowe Art Museum (March 2023)

Paperback: 136 Pages

ISBN:  9798985651805

Dimensions:  11.5 x 9.5 x 0.5 inches