By Lee Lawrence
Dec. 9, 2020
Katonah, N.Y.
In Kato Tsubusa’s 3-foot-tall sculpture, “Object,” you can feel the ceramist stretching, slicing and pinching the thick slabs of white porcelaneous clay that rise into a soaring, ragged peak—and sense the slow pouring of pale celadon glaze so that it flows down the sides and pools at the base like melted snow. In Maeta Akihiro’s white porcelain pot, however, the artist’s hand is invisible. After shaping the small mouth, tapering the base, flaring and faceting the body, the artist ran a blade over the surface, erasing all traces of his fingers and palm. The result is a work whose heft and purity of form exude calm.
