Kaneta Masanao

Born 1953, Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan

An eighth-generation Hagi potter, KANETA MASANAO has expanded beyond the tradition of his ancestry to create a more sculptural oeuvre. Perhaps due to his training as a sculptor, his forms have a strong and dramatic presence that sets them apart from works by other artists working in this traditional ceramic center. Using the centuries-old Hagi white-pink glazes, Kaneta creates unique and readily identifiable functional and non-functional sculptural forms. His signature technique of kurinuki, in which he digs or scoops-out a form out of the clay instead of shaping it on a wheel, further allows him to boldly depart from ancient Hagi traditions. He tirelessly continues to pursue and challenge new difficult forms that fight against gravity while improving on glazing and firing in a climbing kiln.

Images

Kaneta Masanao (b. 1953)

Rock-like, horizontal, scooped-out vessel with multi-planed body and unctuous white Hagi glazes

2018

Hagi-glazed stoneware with kiln effects

17 1/2 x 24 3/8 x 12 5/8 in.

Inv# 11065

SOLD

Kaneta, Masanao, Kaneta Masanao, hook, grey, gray, kurinuki, scooped, vessel, Hagi, hagi glazed, glazed, stoneware, ash glazed, white, pink, dark brown, Japanese, ceramics, contemporary, 2015

Scooped-out vessel with two offset points creating a hook-like form with Hagi and ash glazes with pink, white and grey tones, 2015
Glazed stoneware
13 3/4 x 19 x 10 in.
Inv# 9245
SOLD

Kaneta, Masanao, Kaneta Masanao, water jar, mizusashi, waterjar, kurinuki, scooped, vessel, Hagi, hagi glazed, glazed, stoneware, ash glazed, kiln effect, kairagi, white, pink, dark brown, Japanese, ceramics, contemporary, 2014

Sculpted covered waterjar with cut corners, covered with crawling Hagi white glaze (kairagi) with pink tones, and kiln effects

2014
Glazed stoneware
8 x 8 x 8 in.
Inv# 9046
SOLD

Kaneta, Masanao, Kaneta Masanao, mountain, kurinuki, scooped, vessel, Hagi, hagi glazed, glazed, stoneware, ash glazed, kohiki, rust, brown Japanese, ceramics, contemporary, 2013

Oval scooped-out sculptural vessel with smooth, rounded base and jagged divided top covered with Hagi kohiki glaze in naturalistic tones of beige, rust and dark brown

2013
Glazed stoneware
16 1/2 x 18 x 11 1/8 in.
Inv# 9030
SOLD

Kaneta Masanao (b. 1953)

Large white hagi-glazed scooped-out mountain-shaped vessel

2012

Glazed stoneware

14 x 18 7/8 x 12 1/4 inches

Inv# 8101

SOLD