Katsumata Chieko

Untitled (Mudai), 1998

via

 Sculpture in the form of a pumpkin, 2008

Stoneware with matte glazes / 10 1/4 x 10 1/4 inches

Courtesy of Joan B Mirviss, Ltd., NY / Photography by Richard Goodbody

Biomorphic sculpture in the shape of French akoda pumpkin with black and red glazes, c. 2012

Glazed stoneware

14 1/8 x 16 1/8 x 17 3/4 inches

via

"After attending Nihon Women's University, Katsumata received the étudiant patronné par le gouvernement français grant from the French government and studied ceramics at the Ecole National Supérieur des Arts Appliqués et Metiers d'Art under well-known ceramist France Franck (b. 1931). Through the mentorship of Yanagihara Mutsuo (b. 1934) and her love for painting, she began to focus on the application of color to clay upon returning to Kyoto. Since 1979, when she won a prize at the Kyoto Design Exhibition, she has been showing her works in both solo and group exhibitions. She has exhibited extensively both in and outside of Japan, including France, Holland and the U.S. Her work contains the energy of abstract painting's vigorous brush strokes, however, achieving this kinetic effect in her ceramics requires careful methodology. Instead of painting directly on the vessel, she covers the vessel with a piece of cloth while she applies the color in order not to leave traces of brushwork. The process of covering and applying decoration is repeated as required to produce a unique color and texture. Katsumata was invited to give a lecture at the National School of Decorative Art in Switzerland in 1997." via

These beautiful pieces remind me of deformities. Deformed, undulating and ugly. They are like slabs of fat stuck beneath skin. But it is true they are as hard and heavy as they are soft and smooth. I long to run my hands over the curves and stick my fingers in the cracks.