Masayasu Mitsuke

Masayasu Mitsuke is a Kutani redware artist from Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture, who inherits the traditional techniques of Kutani ware while exploring their possibilities from a contemporary perspective. His work is characterized by precise line and dot drawings, forming geometric and rhythmic patterns based on traditional motifs. At first glance, these patterns may appear almost inorganic, yet they fuse elements from various cultures—including Japanese traditional designs such as asanoha (hemp leaf) and kikkō (tortoise shell), as well as arabesque and medieval European-style motifs—creating a distinctive redware style that transcends both time and culture.

Redware, painted with iron oxide, originated in China during the Southern Song period and later spread to Japan, developing as a decorative technique in Imari, Kyoto, and eventually Kutani. Mitsuke follows this traditional method in depicting figures and birds, while also evolving his own unique patterns. By selectively incorporating classical motifs such as yōraku (beaded garlands) and shippo (seven treasures), he achieves cohesive overall compositions that had not been seen before. This tendency is particularly prominent in large plates that emphasize central designs. Supported by the excellence of traditional techniques, these works captivate viewers and demonstrate new possibilities for Kutani ware.

In his 2016 solo exhibition, Mitsuke presented large plates, approximately 50 cm in diameter, where traditional motifs such as asanoha and kikkō were transformed into contemporary geometric patterns. Composed of lines and dots so precise that they seem impossible to hand-paint, the works possess an overwhelming beauty.

In his 2022 solo exhibition, Mitsuke expanded beyond circular plates to include triangular prism-shaped three-dimensional works, taking a more “architectural” approach to traditional flat compositions. The meticulously drawn lines and dots reinterpret traditional motifs such as asanoha and woven patterns into contemporary geometric designs. Gold accents and blue glazes further enhance the interplay of clear white porcelain and the vibrant red of the overglaze, creating striking visual contrasts.

Biography
1975 Born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
1997 Graduated from Ishikawa Prefectural Kutaniyaki Technical Training Institute; studied under Kutani master Fukushima Takeyama
Currently based in Kaga, Ishikawa

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo
2021 Shibuya Kuroda Touen, Tokyo
2016 Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo
2009 Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo
2007 Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo
2017 Shibuya Kuroda Touen, Tokyo

Selected Group Exhibitions
2010 1st Kanazawa World Craft Triennale, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
2011 REVALUE NIPPON PROJECT – Contemporary Ceramics Encounter with Hidetoshi Nakata, Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Japan
2012 Craft Futurism, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
2015 LOGICAL EMOTION – Contemporary Japanese Art Exhibition, Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich, Switzerland (touring)
2015 japanese kougei/future forward, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, USA
2016 REVALUE NIPPON PROJECT, Panasonic Shiodome Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2017 Craft Futurism: Craft Bridge, EYE OF GYRE, Tokyo, Japan
2018 Analyzing Ceramics – Decoration Edition, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Japan
2019 Keizan Collection: Chawan – Galaxy in the Palm, Okayama Prefectural Museum, Japan
2020 Touching the Intangible, Ginza Pola Museum Annex, Tokyo, Japan
2020 Exceptional Craftsmanship in the Reiwa Era, Panasonic Shiodome Museum, Tokyo (touring
2021 No Man’s Land – The Future of Ceramics, Beyond the Horizon, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Japan
2022 Ceramics for the Future – The Power of Traditional Craft, National Crafts Museum, Ishikawa (touring)
2022 Genreless Craft Exhibition, National Crafts Museum, Ishikawa

Selected Awards
2014 Grand Prize, 9th Paramita Ceramic Art Competition
2016 Ishikawa Design Award
2019 Encouragement Award, 39th POLA Award for Traditional Culture