Avidly collected in Japan for decades, Maeda Masahiro’s painterly ceramics will be presented in an artist-curated retrospective show November 2023 at Joan B Mirviss LTD. This long overdue exhibition brings together major works from each stage of his career. When viewed altogether, a picture of a singular artist emerges. Though his style has undergone transformations over the years, Maeda’s artistry is rooted in a unique layering of decorations, often utilizing a remarkable range of colors and motifs that are accentuated in gold and silver. Working steadily for over fifty years, Maeda is renowned for his skills in iro-e, an overglaze enamel technique that traces its roots to the vibrant Japanese polychrome porcelain ware of the seventeenth century. By combining his technical expertise with exuberant patterning, Maeda Masahiro is a modern master committed to enlivening tradition while occasionally imbuing it with wry humor.
