Video

• The Allure of Contemporary Japanese Ceramics

  Invitational Lecture November 20, 2025 The Allure of Contemporary Japanese Ceramics Invited Speaker: Joan Mirviss Thursday, November 20, 2025 Société des Amis du musée national de Céramique; Club des Collectionneurs de Céramique; HEC Art Club London; Société Française d'Etude de la Céramique Orientale In recent decades, there has been an incredible burst of interest in the West in modern and contemporary Japanese ceramics. Internationally, there are over eighty museums spanning four continents avidly collecting in this field, including the Met, British Museum, and Musée Guimet. Together with private collectors who have recognized that some of the best art being produced today is in the area of clay, curators and collectors alike understand that the long history of Japanese ceramics has culminated in the current generation’s creative and diversified transformation of traditional vessels into genuine contemporary art. In this recent invited lecture, Joan Mirviss discussed the unrivaled range and technical mastery of contemporary Japanese clay artists as well as her experience spotting and nurturing talent as a gallerist. Read more

• Beyond the Surface

  Wada Morihiro February 27, 2025 Asia Week New York’s 2025 webinar focused on Wada Morihiro (1944-2008), one of Japan’s most respected ceramists. Regarded as the successor to the legendary Kamoda Shōji, Wada’s exceptional oeuvre remains a stand-out among his contemporaries. His sold-out exhibitions were held not only at department store venues but also at fine art galleries with astonishing price tags during Japan’s “Bubble” era in the 1990s, a remarkable feat for a ceramic artist. Now major works have entered the collections of prestigious museums internationally. This panel was organized ahead of the publication Beyond the Surface: The Unity of Surface and Pattern in the Work of Wada Morihiro, due out in early March, 2025. Panelists placed his work within the broader context of Japanese twentieth-century ceramic history and explored Wada’s career and process. PANELISTS: Meghen Jones, Associate Professor of Art History in the School of Art and Design at Alfred University Aaron Rio, Tateuchi Foundation Curator of Japanese and Korean Art at the Seattle Art Museum Sugiyama Michio, Former Deputy Secretary-General of Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park Nicolle Bertozzi, PhD candidate at Columbia University in medieval and early modern Japanese history Moderated by Joan Mirviss, our latest Zoom Gallery Talk, "Beyond the Surface: The Unity of Form and Pattern in the Work of Wada Morihiro," took place on Thursday, February 27th. Read more

• Material Transformation

  Japanese Textile Art November 14, 2024 Asia Week New York webinar Material Transformation: Japanese Textile Art Recorded November 11th, 2024 Material Transformation a webinar–co-hosted by Joan B Mirviss LTD and Asia Week New York– delves into the vibrant history of Japanese textile art, the evolution of the kimono, the continued use of recycled materials in textile creation, and the ways contemporary makers use traditional aesthetics and techniques innovatively to expand the field of Japanese textile art. PANELISTS: STEVE BEIMEL, a longtime resident of Japan, and founder of JapanCraft21 (NPO) which works to  revitalize Japanese master crafts MONIKA BINCSIK, the Diane and Arthur Abbey Curator for Japanese Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specializes in Japanese decorative arts and textiles ANNA JACKSON, Keeper of the Asian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum REIKO SUDO, Design director for the leading textile design firm Nuno, and a member of the prestigious Japan Design Committee Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Toshiko Takaezu: Her Journey

  Zoom Gallery Talk September 26, 2024 Toshiko Takaezu: Her Journey Recorded on September 26th, 2024 Our September Zoom panel discussion focuses on the life and work of the incredible Japanese-American artist Toshiko TAKAEZU (1922-2011), whose works in clay, fiber, and other media are currently touring the USA in the exhibition, Worlds Within. Glenn Adamson, acclaimed scholar, and curator; Darlene Fukuji, board member of the Toshiko Takaezu Foundation and grandniece of the artist; Elisabeth Agros of the Philadelphia Art Museum; Laura Mott of the Cranbrook Art Museum; and Caroline Herrera-Perez of the Chazen Art Museum will be engaging in a lively discussion about the artist, her career, and her oeuvre. PANELISTS:  Glenn Adamson, Darlene Fukuji, Elisabeth Agros, Laura Mott, and Caroline Herrera-Perez Moderated by Joan Mirviss Read more

• Layered Clay

  Miyashita Zenji June 12, 2024 Gallery Intern Nicolle Bertozzi presents Miyashita Zenji’s background and the evolution of his artwork. This video was produced for Layered Clay, a gallery exhibition at Joan B. Mirviss LTD, on display from May to June 2024. Nicolle Bertozzi is a PhD candidate at Columbia University Read more

• Layered Clay

  Ogata Kamio May 31, 2024 Gallery Intern Nicolle Bertozzi presents Ogata Kamio's background and the evolution of his artwork. This video was produced for Layered Clay, a gallery exhibition at Joan B. Mirviss LTD, on display from May to June 2024. Nicolle Bertozzi is a PhD candidate at Columbia University. Read more

• Layered Clay

  Matsui Kōsei May 23, 2024 Gallery Intern Nicolle Bertozzi, PHD candidate at Columbia University, presents Matsui Kōsei's background and the evolution of his artwork. This video was produced for Layered Clay, a gallery exhibition at Joan B. Mirviss LTD, on display from May to June 2024. Read more

• Layered Clay

  The History of Nerikomi May 1, 2024 Gallery Intern Nicolle Bertozzi, PHD candidate at Columbia University, presents the history of Japanese marbleized clay and its origins from Hellenistic periods to eighteenth century Britain. This video was produced for Layered Clay, a gallery exhibition at Joan B. Mirviss LTD, on display from May to June 2024. Read more

• Mingei: Art of the People

  Exploring the Mingei Film Archive April 18, 2024 ZOOM Gallery Talk Mingei: Artof the People Recorded April 18, 2024 Perhaps one of the best-known aspects of Japanese ceramics in the West remains the Mingei folk art movement and its leading proponents, Hamada Shōji and Bernard Leach. Because of their advocacy and publicly facing roles, aided greatly by the medium of film, the timeless qualities of Mingei have figured prominently in the perception of Japanese art in the West throughout the twentieth century. For this unique ZOOM Gallery Talk, filmmaker Marty Gross shares with us his extraordinary mission to restore, record, preserve, and archive the films of and about Mingei from the early twentieth century in his project, Mingei Film Archive. He will share with us rare footage of prewar Japan and of pottery production in centers such as Tamba and Mashiko. As a potter himself, Marty Gross shares with us how the Mingei Film Archive developed and how his personal journey merged his two great artistic interests to create this remarkable and irreplaceable resource for ceramics and for Japanese art lovers. PANELIST: Marty Gross, filmmaker and founder of Mingei Film Archive, based in Toronto, Canada moderated by Joan Mirviss Read more

• Kondo Takahiro

  The Thinking Hand February 20, 2024 Asia Week New York webinar  Kondo Takahiro: The Thinking Hand  in conjunction with Porcelains in the Mist: The Kondo Family of Ceramicists at the Brooklyn Museum Recorded February 20, 2024 Asia Week New York hosts a webinar celebrating one of Japan’s most admired ceramists, Kondo Takahiro, whose work is featured in the Brooklyn Museum exhibition, Porcelains in the Mist. Kondo’s forebears specialized in wheel-thrown vessels with painted decoration, but he has pushed the limits of the ceramic medium to create art of broader significance. Panelists will trace Kondo’s career, explain the thinking behind the Brooklyn display, discuss the haunting Reduction body sculptures, and set his work in global context. Speaking live from Kyoto, Kondo will introduce his recent projects. The webinar will conclude with a dialogue between the artist and catalogue author Joe Earle. PANELISTS: Glenn Adamson is a curator, writer and historian based in New York and London. Joan Cummins has served as Lisa and Bernard Selz Curator of Asian Art at the Brooklyn Museum since 2007. Xiaojin Wu currently serves as the Luther W. Brady Curator of Japanese Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Kondo Takahiro, artist. Moderated by Joe Earle, former chief curator of Asian art departments in museums in London and Boston, who over the last 40 years has presented numerous exhibitions of Japanese ceramics. Read more

• The Rockefeller Family

  A Collecting Dynasty January 20, 2024 A Collecting Dynasty: The Rockefeller Family The Winter Show 2024 Event date: January 20, 2024 As passionate art collectors and philanthropists with an incredible range of interests that spanned the globe, the Rockefeller family, in so many ways, stands as the acme of patronage in this country. Throughout several generations, beginning with Abby and John D Rockefeller, Jr., their unwavering support for the visual arts was critical to the development of cultural institutions focused on the family members’ individual collecting interests, such as Asia Society, the Cloisters, Colonial Williamsburg and its Folk Art Museum, Japan Society, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art. With the participation of two Asian art historians and museum professionals and a dealer of European Art, each of whom personally worked with or for members of the Rockefeller family over the past forty plus years, our discussion will focus on the legacy of multiple generations of Rockefellers, their remarkable collections, and lasting contributions to the world of art and antiques. Moderator: Joan B. Mirviss, President Joan B. Mirviss LTD Panelists: Michele Beiny, Michele Beiny, Inc. Cynthia Bronson Altman, Curator Emerita at Kykuit Vishakha Desai, President Emeritus, Asia Society Presented in collaboration with Asia Week New York. Read more

• Japanese Women Ceramic Artists

  Taking Space, Making Space December 14, 2023 ZOOM Gallery Talk Taking Space, Making Space: Japanese Women Ceramic Artists in conjunction with Radical Clay at the Art Institute of Chicago and our presentation at The Winter Show 2024 at the Park Avenue Armory Recorded December 14, 2023 Coinciding with Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan, which opens at the Art Institute of Chicago just a few days later, this ZOOM Gallery Talk explores the vital role of 20th and 21st century Japanese women clay artists within Japanese ceramics today. Drawn from the Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection and featuring work by 20 of our gallery artists, the museum exhibition celebrates the achievements and profound influence of these creative visionaries on a traditionally male-dominated ceramics field. Panelists for this event include key figures who contributed to this important exhibition, including collector and museum patron Carol Horvitz, curator and Radical Clay catalogue contributor Hollis Goodall, and two prominent gallery artists featured in the exhibition, Tashima Etsuko and Tomita Mikiko, who represent different generational perspectives. PANELISTS: HOLLIS GOODALL, Former Curator of Japanese Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), CA CAROL HORVITZ, Japanese art collector and museum patron, MA TASHIMA ETSUKO, Gallery artist and Professor of Ceramics at Osaka University of the Arts, Japan TOMITA MIKIKO, Gallery artist interpretation by DANIEL BORENGASSER moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Anatomy of a Teabowl

  What makes a teabowl? November 30, 2023 Many potters around the world today make ‘teabowls,’ even though they may not intend for them to actually be used for drinking Japanese matcha. As a result, the emphasis seems to be on visual appeal rather than utility. As part of our discussion on chanoyu and treasured tea ceramics, Professor Andrew Maske of Wayne State University explains what requirements a teabowl must fulfill in order to be not only aesthetically successful but also usable in a tea ceremony. Joan B Mirviss LTD, a Japanese fine art gallery based in New York, hosts regular Gallery Talks on ZOOM on a range of topics related to Japanese art, history, and culture. To view the full video, click HERE Read more

• Araki Minol: An Artist Between Worlds

  Zoom Gallery Talk October 12, 2023 ZOOM Gallery Talk ARAKI MINOL: An Artist Between Worlds Recorded October 12, 2023 In this ZOOM Gallery Talk, we explore the life and times of Araki Minol (1928-2010), an artist who lived between many worlds. He was a prodigious talent who successfully bridged the classical painting traditions of China and Japan, nature scenes and portraiture, classicism and modernity. Born in China to Japanese parents, Araki relocated to Japan as a young man and traveled the world for his professional design career. Though he exhibited his paintings in Asia throughout his life, Araki’s legacy is more firmly established in the United States, where major museums hold numerous masterworks in their collections. Providing three points of view on the artist – university academic, museum curatorial, and private collector – panelists Claudia Brown, Matthew Welch, and David Frank and Kazukuni Sugiyama examine Araki’s unique hybridity, both biographically and creatively, that laid the foundation for his vigorous paintings that not only synthesized these various influences but further revealed a highly original artistic viewpoint. PANELISTS: CLAUDIA BROWN, Professor of Art History, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University, AZ DAVID FRANK and KAZUKUNI SUGIYAMA, Japanese art collectors and close friends of the artist, New York, NY and Santa Fe, NM MATTHEW WELCH, Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• TEMPEST Fujikasa Satoko

  In the Artist's Words September 6, 2023 TEMPEST Fujikasa Satoko September-October 2023 Asia Week New York Ahead of her highly anticipated exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD, opening September 2023, artist Fujikasa Satoko answered our questions regarding her latest body of work. TEMPEST marks her third solo outing in New York and the first since 2019. Fujikasa's latest exploration of the wilder side of climatic phenomena has resulted in powerful sculptures that reveal a new dimension to her dynamic artistry. Joan B Mirviss LTD will present Fujikasa’s new work during Asia Week New York’s fall edition, opening September 14, 2023. View the exhibition here Read more

• TEMPEST Fujikasa Satoko

  The Process September 6, 2023 TEMPEST Fujikasa Satoko September-October 2023 Asia Week New York In honor of artist Fujikasa Satoko's highly anticipated exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD opening September 2023, we present a brief introduction to her creative process. TEMPEST marks her third solo outing in New York and the first since 2019. Fujikasa's latest exploration of the wilder side of climatic phenomena has resulted in powerful sculptures that reveal a new dimension to her dynamic artistry. Joan B Mirviss LTD will present Fujikasa’s latest body of work during Asia Week New York’s fall edition, opening September 14, 2023. View the exhibition here Read more

• TEMPEST Fujikasa Satoko

  Career Overview August 18, 2023 TEMPEST: New Sculpture by Fujikasa Satoko September-October 2023 Asia Week New York The most highly anticipated exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD in years is finally opening this September with new sculptures by the extraordinary young artist Fujikasa Satoko. Titled TEMPEST, this show marks her third solo outing in New York and her first since 2019. Fujikasa's powerful sculptures explore the wilder side of nature and reveal a new dimension to her dynamic artistry. Joan B Mirviss LTD will present Fujikasa's latest body of work during Asia Week New York's fall edition, opening September 14, 2023. View the exhibition here Read more

• Unexpected Dialogues: Japanese Ceramics in New Contexts

  Zoom Gallery Talk June 22, 2023 ZOOM Gallery Talk Unexpected Dialogues: Japanese Ceramics in New Contexts Recorded June 22, 2023 Because contemporary Japanese ceramics are so versatile, they can stand in comfortable and even intriguing conversation with all kinds of art. Encompassing a wide variety of forms, styles, surface treatments and patterning, their many alluring aspects speak to other artworks from vastly different cultures and time periods. The resulting dialogues enrich our understanding of not only the juxtaposed art but also of the people who have thoughtfully brought them together. In this ZOOM Gallery Talk, expert panelists show us the many new contexts that they have discovered for contemporary Japanese ceramics. With curator Heather Brown, collectors Nancy and Joe Keithley examine their extraordinary interdisciplinary collection and how it was displayed privately and then publicly at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Curator Mari Hanazato, who was part of the Musée Tomo in Tokyo from its inception, explores how a museum’s physical space is integral to sparking unexpected dialogues between artworks and among visitors. New York-based collector Matthew Nimetz expands upon his reflections in the 2019 book, The Allure of Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, and talks about living with a diverse collection built over decades. PANELISTS: HEATHER LEMONEDES BROWN, Chief Curator and Deputy Director of Cleveland Museum of Art MARI HANAZATO, Chief Curator, Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum and former Chief Curator, Musée Tomo, Tokyo NANCY AND JOE KEITHLEY, art collectors and museum patrons based in Ohio MATTHEW NIMETZ, art collector based in New York moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Zenga

  Filling in the Lines of Japanese Painting April 20, 2023 ZOOM Gallery Talk Zenga: Filling in the Lines of Japanese Zen Painting Recorded April 20, 2023 Mention the word ‘Zen’ nowadays and people will (think they) know what you mean – the concept of Zen has become familiar enough in the US that the term has entered our vernacular. This spring, several museum exhibitions across the country take a closer look at Japanese ink and Buddhist painting, particularly Zenga, or Japanese Zen painting. They tell a more complete story of its key figures and the central role of their fascinating artworks to understanding Buddhist precepts and history. Our exceptional panel of well-published experts on the subject, and who are involved in those exhibitions, will further discuss how Zen was introduced to the US and the pivotal role of art in why it gained such traction in the popular imagination. Additionally, we will hear from collectors whose love of Japanese Zen painting and calligraphy made such exhibitions possible and how their crucial support impacts museums for the future. PANELISTS: BRADLEY BAILEY, Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Curator of Asian Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX PAUL BERRY, independent scholar based in Kyoto ALICE and KURT GITTER, Japanese art collectors and museum patrons PATRICIA J. GRAHAM, independent scholar and certified appraiser of Japanese art YUKIO LIPPIT, Jeffrey T. Chambers and Andrea Okamura Professor of History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University, MA MORGAN PITELKA, Bernard L. Herman Distinguished Professor and Chair of Dept. of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, NC moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Shigaraki Contemporary Artists: On an Ancient Tradition

  Zoom Gallery Talk February 23, 2023 ZOOM Gallery Talk Shigaraki: Contemporary Artists on an Ancient Tradition Recorded Thursday, February 23, 2023 Known for its distinctive clay and beautiful natural ash glazes, Shigaraki ware is one of Japan’s celebrated ceramic traditions. As one of Japan’s Six Ancient Kiln sites, Shigaraki has long produced functional vessels with a characteristic rustic appearance in warm, earthy tones. This enormously appealing tradition found a new audience with American artists and collectors in the past few decades, thereby expanding our idea of Shigaraki-yaki’s possibilities. Curator Natsu Oyobe shares this remarkable crossover story, which is the subject of her current exhibition, “Clay as Soft Power.” She will be joined by artists who will offer key insights into their process of working in this fascinating medium: Shiga-based Ōtani Shirō, a leader in wood-fired ceramics and designated an Intangible Cultural Asset, and American artist Peter Callas, whose originality has pushed the field in new directions and has been twice awarded the Pollock-Krasner Fellowship. Japanese ceramic artists Hitomi and Takuro Shibata, originally from Shiga and now based in North Carolina, US, further bridge two clay cultures. Together, they provide an extraordinarily modern view of Shigaraki ware in the 21st century.  Eminent ceramics scholar Louise Cort, who wrote the book on the subject, will provide additional unique insights drawn from her long study of and experience in the field. PANELISTS: Peter Callas, artist Hitomi and Takuro Shibata, artists Ōtani Shirō, artist Natsu Oyobe, Curator of Asian Art, University of Michigan Museum of Art, MI with Louise Cort, Curator Emerita of Ceramics, Freer | Sackler, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC moderated by Joan Mirviss Read more

• Eternal Currents: The Tidal Impact of Japanese Women Clay Artists

  Zoom Gallery Talk December 8, 2022 ZOOM Gallery Talk Eternal Currents: The Tidal Impact of Japanese Women Clay Artists and Charting a Course for the Future  Recorded December 8, 2022 The massive surge in innovation and international stature of Japan’s contemporary ceramic arts can be traced to the rapid incorporation of women into the field in just the past few decades. Once they were finally allowed to get their hands in clay, women artists have provided a burst of creative energy that has pushed the medium into unexpected directions. To discuss the sea change in Japan’s venerated centuries-old, male-dominated ceramic tradition, gallery artist Hayashi Kaku will be joined by Professor Todate Kazuko, a highly respected scholar of Japanese ceramics, collector and museum patron Mina Levin, and curator Russell Kelty, who recently organized a Japanese sculptural ceramics exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia and authored the accompanying handsome publication. Each panelist will examine, from their unique perspective, the unstoppable tide of creative talent from Japanese women clay artists, and at the same time reflect upon the accompanying challenges for them in charting a course through unknown waters. Panelists: HAYASHI KAKU, artist RUSSELL KELTY, Curator, Asian Art at Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), Adelaide, Australia TODATE KAZUKO, Professor at Tama Art University, Tokyo and respected scholar of ceramics MINA LEVIN, Japanese clay art collector and museum patron based in North Carolina Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Red Earth

  Ogawa Machiko September 15, 2022 ZOOM Gallery Talk RED EARTH | A Discussion About Artist Ogawa Machiko and her latest exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD Recorded on September 15, 2022 Acclaimed clay artist Ogawa Machiko can be called a true master of her medium. Her long, illustrious career is characterized by bold sculptural forms that recall archaeological finds, excavated minerals, and volcanic remains. In her latest body of work, Ogawa explores the concept of a vessel (utsuwa) in a deep red color inspired by the red earth of Burkina Faso, West Africa. To mark her fourth exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD and opening for Asia Week New York, our expert panelists will discuss Ogawa Machiko’s groundbreaking career and her trailblazing path to achieving critical success within Japan and internationally. They will examine her enduring legacy in the field of Japanese contemporary ceramics and the possibilities she has uncovered in her lifetime exploration of clay. Panelists: MEGHEN JONES, Associate Professor of Art History, Alfred University SOPHIE MAKARIOU, Présidente, Musée national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet, Paris and CLAIRE BETTINELLI, Production Manager of Exhibitions and Contemporary Art Collections, Musée Guimet, Paris SHIRLEY RENDELL, Passionate collector of Japanese ceramics YAMAUCHI TOKUTARO, Director of Shibunkaku, gallery representing Ogawa in Japan Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Listening to Clay: The Artists, Curators, and Collectors Who Listen

  Zoom Gallery Talk July 26, 2022 ZOOM Gallery Talk Listening to Clay: The Artists, Curators, and Collectors Who Listen An event in partnership with Asia Week New York Recorded on July 26, 2022 To celebrate the publication of Listening to Clay: Conversations with Contemporary Japanese Ceramic Artists, and the accompanying gallery exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD, authors Alice and Halsey North and Louise Allison Cort discuss in depth their personal relationships with these sixteen artists that formed the basis for this book. From their perspective as collectors, they offer a behind-the-scenes look at these artists gleaned over many years and share valuable insights into the artworks by these men and women. They are joined by Metropolitan Museum of Art curator of Japanese decorative arts Monika Bincsik, who recounts the importance of the Norths’ gift to the Met Museum. In her recent reinstallation of the Great Hall Balcony, she re-contextualizes the work of artists in conversation with their Western counterparts. PANELISTS: MONIKA BINCSIK, Diane and Arthur Abbey Associate Curator for Japanese Decorative Arts, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York LOUISE CORT, Curator Emerita of Ceramics, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC ALICE AND HALSEY NORTH, Japanese clay art collectors and museum patrons Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Japanese Art and its Importance in Interior Design

  June 7, 2022 ZOOM Gallery Talk Japanese Art and its Importance in Interior Design Recorded June 7, 2022 From the moment Japanese art and aesthetics were introduced to the West, design and architecture have never been quite the same. In this ZOOM panel discussion, we explore how these encounters with Japanese art have sparked fresh perspectives and resulted in enchanting private and public spaces for the art’s enjoyment and display. Leading voices in the fields of architecture and interior design share their experiences with Japanese art, its influence on their studio’s practice, and working with collectors to incorporate its visual language into their environments. Drawing from wisdom accumulated over their long careers, top interior designers Robert Couturier and Paul Vincent Wiseman and New York-based architect Jane Sachs discuss how Japanese art can be situated in Western contexts. With a focus on display, they are joined by collector Pilar Conde, who lives alongside her important Japanese ceramics collection. PANELISTS: PILAR CONDE, Collector of Japanese ceramics ROBERT COUTURIER, Renowned French-born interior designer JANE SACHS, Founding Principal of HS2 Architecture, New York PAUL WISEMAN, President of San Francisco-based interior design firm, The Wiseman Group Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Branching Out: Kaneshige and Miwa Families

  Bizen Tradition and Hagi Tradition May 20, 2022 BRANCHING OUT Kaneshige Family and the Bizen Tradition Miwa Family and the Hagi Tradition May-June 2022 at Joan B Mirviss LTD The widespread popularity and distinguished reputations that Japan’s ancient ceramic traditions enjoy today are largely indebted to a core group of mid-twentieth century artistic visionaries: among them, Kaneshige Tōyō (1896-1967) for Bizen ware and Miwa Kyūwa (1895-1981) for Hagi ware. Both men were inheritors to their highly esteemed, long-established, multi-generational family names that had been associated with excellence in their respective ceramic traditions for centuries. Together with scholar-potter Kawakita Handeishi (1878-1963), they co-founded the artistic discussion group Karahinekai in 1942, formed of artists who were dedicated to the recovery of lost techniques from the golden age of ceramics during the 16th century Momoyama period.  With a focus on teaware and vessels, they were wildly successful in their endeavors. Adapting their production, greatly expanding their styles, and influencing their brothers, sons, and grandchildren, they definitively transformed their family’s legacy from that of dutiful craftsmen to boldly modern artists. Joan B Mirviss LTD’s latest exhibition celebrates the past, present, and future of these two prominent families synonymous with excellence in BRANCHING OUT: KANESHIGE FAMILY AND THE BIZEN TRADITION and MIWA FAMILY AND THE HAGI TRADITION. This exhibition was organized in collaboration with Shibuya Kurodatoen Co., LTD, the foremost modern ceramic dealer in Japan. Read more

• Kondo Takahiro: Making Waves

  Zoom Gallery Talk March 17, 2022 ZOOM Gallery Talk Kondō Takahiro: Making Waves Part of Asia Week New York 2022 Recorded on March 17, 2022 In celebration of his latest exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD, the artist Kondō Takahiro will join us live from Kyoto for an in-depth discussion with a panel of experts. Reflecting on the many aspects of water, Kondō’s latest striking sculptures are masterful explorations of his marbleized clay (nerikomi) technique married with his signature “silver mist” (gintekisai) overglaze. Reimagining clay’s relationship to another classical art form, ink painting, Kondō finds resonance in their shared origins in water. This event brings the artist together in conversation with design historian and curator Glenn Adamson, former Director of the Museum of Arts and Design, New York, museum patron Carol Horvitz, and scholar and curator Joe Earle, formerly of the V&A, MFA Boston, and Japan Society. They will discuss his creative process, the challenges posed by his sculptures, and his fascinating legacy. PANELISTS: KONDŌ TAKAHIRO, artist GLENN ADAMSON, independent curator based in New York and formerly Director at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York JOE EARLE, Senior Consultant, Japanese Art, Bonhams CAROL HORVITZ, art collector and museum patron Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Lecture for Appraisers Association of America

  with Joan B. Mirviss March 7, 2022 Appraisers Association of America 2021-2022 Lecture Series Fanning the Flames: Building a Market for Japanese Modern Ceramics: 1950 to the Present Speaker: Joan B. Mirviss, Joan B. Mirviss Ltd. Japan experienced an unparalleled blossoming of ceramics in the 16th and 17th centuries fueled by the development of the tea ceremony, enormous technological advances initially drawn from China and Korea, and the establishment of distinctive glazes and styles for which Japan is still renowned. In the post WWII era, Japan emerged from the ashes to once again lay claim to ceramic greatness that inspires the world today. Across three generations of clay masters, we are witnessing what is a New Golden Age of Japanese ceramics. Creating an acquisitive market in the West for this seductive material has taken decades of work and perseverance. Today, in addition to savvy Western collectors, museums across the globe are now staging exhibitions and avidly acquiring important works for their permanent collections both through purchase and donation. Understanding this area is becoming increasingly important for both international experts and appraisers. Find out more about the Appraisers Association on their website here Read more

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  Kondo Takahiro: Making Waves

  at Joan B Mirviss LTD March 7, 2022 KONDŌ TAKAHIRO: MAKING WAVES Spring 2022 exhibition After six years of planning, acclaimed contemporary artist Kondō Takahiro presents his latest solo exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD this spring for Asia Week New York. These thirty new sculptures in swirling whirlpools of black, gray, and white marbleized porcelain glisten with ‘silver mist’ that resembles morning dew. His signature gintekisai (silver mist) overglaze technique finds new expression here as he plays with scale in striking geometric forms that catch light from daring angles. In a departure from his earlier “Wave” artworks, Kondō incorporates a whiter clay into his marbleization (nerikomi) technique. Its combination with the darker clay that seemingly flows down the surfaces creates an ink-on-paper effect, transforming his sculptures into what he calls “porcelain ink paintings”. From major zig-zagging rhomboidal monoliths to glass-capped vessels to wondrous teabowls, the incomparable skill and singular creativity of master artist Kondō Takahiro is on full display in MAKING WAVES. View the exhibition here Read more

• Kamoda Shōji

  The Art of Change February 3, 2022 ZOOM talk co-hosted by Minneapolis Institute of Art Kamoda Shōji: The Art of Change Recorded February 3, 2022 One of Japan’s most celebrated potters, Kamoda Shōji (1933–1983) had a life-long focus on the interplay among material, form, and surface that helped to revolutionize the way Japanese artists approached ceramics, even to this day. The current exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the first outside of Japan, features nearly 50 works from 10 private American collections and spans the breadth of his brilliant but brief career. Key figures in the making of this exhibition and accompanying publication come together to discuss Kamoda’s commitment to experimentation and innovation. The discussion will be moderated by Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Deputy Director and Chief Curator Matthew Welch. PANELISTS: LOUISE CORT, Curator Emerita of Ceramics, Freer | Sackler, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC SHIRLEY MCNERNEY RENDELL, Passionate collector of Japanese ceramics AARON RIO, Associate Curator, Asian Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY JOAN MIRVISS Moderated by MATTHEW WELCH, Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN Purchase the fully illustrated exhibition catalog on the Mia website here Read more

• What is Celadon Ware?

  An Introduction to Celadon January 6, 2022 Many people assume that 'celadon' only refers to a green or bluish-green color, but the materials and techniques involved can produce an array of colors and surprising outcomes. As part of our discussion with master artist Kawase Shinobu, we learned about the variety included within the term 'celadon' in this brief introduction by Dr. Robert D. Mowry, Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus at Harvard Art Museums. To view the full video, click HERE Read more

• Forming a Voice

  New Sculpture by Fujino Sachiko December 8, 2021 Read more
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  SEEN|UNSEEN

  Akiyama Yō and Kitamura Junko December 8, 2021 New work by Akiyama Yō and Kitamura Junko, SEEN|UNSEEN, an exhibition at Joan B Mirviss Ltd. in November 2020. In their own words, artists Akiyama Yō and Kitamura Junko describe the inspiration for this current body of work. Read more

• Ahead of the Curve: Collecting Contemporary Asian Art

  December 2, 2021 Asia Week New York ZOOM webinar in partnership with Joan B Mirviss LTD Recorded December 2, 2021 As contemporary Asian artists find more inventive forms, styles and media to express their creativity, there are more opportunities to entice collectors–both novice and seasoned–to start or build upon a new or existing collection. Whether it’s a geometric-shaped Japanese bamboo basket, a complex Chinese ink drawing from a young emerging artist, a dramatic contemporary Japanese photograph or a contemporary Indian painting, there is one thing that unites them: the collector’s discerning eye. In partnership with Joan B Mirviss LTD, this panel discussion hosted by Asia Week New York spotlights four up-and-coming areas of contemporary Asian art: Chinese ink painting, bamboo art, South Asian art, and Asian photography. With expert insights from gallery owners and curators, alongside their passionate collecting clients, AHEAD OF THE CURVE examined how this flourishing of contemporary Asian art has opened up exciting avenues of interest for savvy collectors. The panelists discussed the challenges of being at the forefront of their fields: in introducing and promoting an unfamiliar medium, changing public perceptions, establishing new relationships with artists, and illuminating their quality and artistic merits to institutions and the general public. This essential discussion was moderated by Joan Mirviss, who herself has pioneered the collecting of contemporary Japanese ceramics. PANELISTS: CRAIG YEE, co-founding director of INK Studio, a Beijing and New York based gallery devoted to ink as a medium, language and discourse for the creation of contemporary art DENISE & JOHN KNIGHT, collectors of contemporary ink art and Chinese ceramics MANJARI SIHARE, Sotheby's of the Americas, Vice President, Head of Sale, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art BHARTI MALKANI, collector of Modern and Contemporary South Asian art and philanthropist MARGO THOMA, owner and director of TAI Modern gallery in Santa Fe, NM, specializing in Japanese bamboo art and contemporary art DIANE & ARTHUR ABBEY, longstanding collectors of Japanese bamboo baskets, whose collection has been gifted to The Metropolitan Museum of Art MIYAKO YOSHINAGA, founder of Miyako Yoshinaga gallery in New York at the forefront of establishing Japanese and other Asian photography as a viable component of the international arena ANNE HAVINGA, Estrellita and Yousuf Karsh Chair, Department of Photography, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• An Artist Talk with Kawase Shinobu: Mastery of Celadon

  Zoom Gallery Talk November 10, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk Kawase Shinobu: Mastery of Celadon Recorded November 10, 2021 Revered as a “Master of Celadon” in Japan, Kawase Shinobu has an equally devoted international following for his precise, jewel-like vessels that successfully fuse contemporary forms and ancient techniques. In his latest dazzling body of work, Kawase showcases his brilliance on the wheel paired with an unrivaled command of celadon glazes in a range of luscious colors. To mark his latest exhibition at Joan B Mirviss LTD, Kawase will join us live to discuss his journey as an artist – one he embarked on alongside Joan nearly forty years ago – and the surprising challenges he encountered along the way. Our expert panelists will further discuss celadon’s history and development beyond Song Dynasty precedents and position celadon on the global stage. PANELISTS: SUSAN L. BENINGSON, Independent curator, scholar, and collector ROBERT D. MOWRY, Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus at Harvard Art Museums KAWASE SHINOBU, artist moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Kawase Shinobu

  Mastery of Celadon October 28, 2021 After a half century in the field, Kawase Shinobu is now regarded as Japan’s most outstanding artist working within the ancient tradition of celadon. In this latest dazzling body of work, Kawase moves beyond the ancient Song Dynasty models and showcases his brilliance on the wheel, paired with an unrivaled command of celadon glazes in a range of luscious and delightfully surprising colors. Having represented Kawase for decades, and witnessed his development and artistic growth, Joan B Mirviss LTD is thrilled to present over thirty-five works that he created for his latest show that irrefutably declares his mastery of celadon. Read more

• Cornerstone of Collecting

  Frank Lloyd Wright's Japanese Prints and Their Inspirational Legacy at the Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison October 14, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk Cornerstone of Collecting: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Japanese Prints and Their Inspirational Legacy at the Chazen Museum of Art, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Recorded October 14, 2021 Celebrated for his genius at both architecture and design, Frank Lloyd Wright was also an avid collector and dealer of Japanese woodblock prints. In the late 1920s, mathematics professor Edward Burr Van Vleck acquired approximately 4,000 of Frank Lloyd Wright’s prints, which became the foundation of his own significant collection. This extensive collection of ukiyo-e was eventually donated by his heirs to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he had taught for many years. In our Zoom panel event, curators and scholars will discuss the legacy of this important collection, its critical role at a teaching institution, and the challenges of stewardship in the 21st century. PANELISTS: AMY GILMAN, Director, Chazen Museum of Art LAURA J. MUELLER, Independent curator of Japanese art QUITMAN (GENE) PHILLIPS, Professor emeritus in Japanese art, University of Wisconsin-Madison JAMES R. WEHN, Van Vleck Curator of Works on Paper, Chazen Museum of Art moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Born of Fire: Japanese Women Ceramic Artists (Part 2)

  Crow Museum of Asian Art, Dallas, TX September 22, 2021 Gallery Zoom Talk with the Crow Museum of Asian Art and in partnership with Japan America Society Dallas-Fort Worth Recorded September 22, 2021 The Crow Museum of Asian Art in Dallas, Texas hosted a special conversation with three of the fourteen artists featured in their current exhibition, “Born of Fire: Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists.” The exhibition draws from Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz’s collection of Japanese modern and contemporary ceramics. Senior Curator Jacqueline Chao moderated a discussion between the artists, the Horvitzs, and Joan Mirviss. Panelists: HAYASHI KAKU, Artist FUTAMURA YOSHIMI, Artist FUJIKASA SATOKO, Artist CAROL and JEFFREY HORVITZ, Collectors and exhibition patrons JOAN MIRVISS Cultural interpretation provided by YOSHIZAWA TOMO This is part 2 of a 2-part conversation series with artists featured in “Born of Fire.” Click here to watch the first conversation from April 2021. Read more

• Itō Hidehito

  Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty September 17, 2021 Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty  Itō Hidehito Asia Week New York September 2021 For his first solo exhibition outside of Japan, Itō Hidehito has created uniquely personal vessels and sculptural forms displaying his exceptional skill in craquelure celadon. Through steadfast experimentation, Itō pushed himself to create his largest ever works exclusively for his New York debut at Joan B Mirviss LTD. Opening during Asia Week New York this September, Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty is the culmination of the gallery's two-year long series showcasing the extraordinary range of ceramics produced in the historic Mino region of Japan that is at the heart of both its longstanding clay tradition and its most innovative interpretations. Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty: Itō Hidehito opens on September 17 and runs through October 15, 2021. It will feature sixteen new masterworks that showcase Itō's contemporary approach to celadon ware.  Read more

• Hori Ichirō

  Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty September 17, 2021 Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty Hori Ichirō Asia Week New York For his first solo exhibition outside of Japan, Hori Ichirō has created enticing and highly original vessels exclusively for his New York debut at Joan B Mirviss LTD. Opening during Asia Week New York this September, Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty is the culmination of the gallery's two-year long series showcasing the extraordinary range of ceramics produced in the historic Mino region of Japan. Mino is at the heart of both Japan's longstanding clay tradition and that tradition's most innovative interpretations. Hori exemplifies the best in Japanese ceramic artistry, as he is rooted in classical styles while bringing those traditions forward with a strikingly contemporary flair.  A self-described mountain man who lives in semi-seclusion, HORI Ichirō (b. 1952) resides at his kiln compound isolated from modern life. His exceptionally powerful works in a range of Mino styles, however, are by no means stuck in the past. From thick, crawling Shino glazes on swirling vessels to outstanding ki-seto works in restrained yellows, he brings an exciting modern perspective to a venerable tradition. Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty: Hori Ichirō opens on September 17 and runs through October 15, 2021. It will feature twenty new masterworks that showcase Hori's innovative use of traditional Mino-style glazes and his command of firing techniques.  Read more

• Golden Renewal: Understanding Kintsugi Repair

  Zoom Gallery Talk July 22, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk Golden Renewal: Understanding Kintsugi Repair Recorded July 22, 2021 Alluring and intriguing, kintsugi has lately caught on in Western popular culture and has shown up in various conversations well beyond art. For centuries, this Japanese form of lacquer repair with gold has been used to restore functional ceramics. Meaning ‘gold joining,’ kintsugi is interconnected with the long history of tea culture and the craft tradition in Japan. More recently, kintsugi has found resonance with those who seek a deeper meaning in the golden veins running along the cracks of a once-broken plate or cup. Our panelists of diverse backgrounds will illuminate the many aspects of kintsugi that will allow us to better understand its origins, technique, and application for collectors and connoisseurs of Japanese art. PANELISTS: MINA BRENNEMAN, Collector of Japanese ceramics MEGHEN JONES, Professor of art history, School of Art & Design, Alfred University BONNIE KEMSKE, Author of Kintsugi: The Poetic Mend (Bloomsbury, 2021) GEN SARATANI, Lacquer artist and kintsugi specialist based in New York moderated by JOAN MIRVISS View part 1 of our discussion on tea, Tea as Context: Treasuring Ceramics Read more
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  Restraint and Flamboyance

  Masterworks of Mino July 20, 2021 Read more
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  Shifuku

  How to Tie Shifuku July 20, 2021 Read more

• Tea as Context

  Treasuring Ceramics June 24, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk Tea as Context: Treasuring Ceramics Recorded June 24, 2021 Internationally recognized as a pillar of Japanese culture, the art of tea (chanoyu), with its highly formalized aspects, is often misperceived as a stiff and impassive ritual. Rather, throughout its history, chanoyu has developed from the treasured relationships and bonds formed over “shared hot water.” These connections are integral to a longstanding, vibrant tea culture and further the rich stories behind the diverse practices and exquisite tea objects seen today. This unmissable Zoom event assembles an all-star panel of experts on the subject. A discussion of the relative merits of a teabowl for the curious collector will be a highlight of the event. PANELISTS: NICOLLE BERTOZZI, PhD candidate in Japanese history at Columbia University LOUISE CORT, Curator Emerita of Ceramics, Freer | Sackler, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC ANDREW MASKE, Associate Professor in Art History and Japan Studies, University of Kentucky MORGAN PITELKA, Professor and Chair, Department of Asian Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ANDREW WATSKY, Professor and Director, Program in East Asian Art and Archaeology, Princeton University View part 2 of our discussion on tea, Golden Renewal: Understanding Kintsugi Repair Read more

• Tradition Redefined: Rosanjin and His Rivals

  Gallery Talk June 17, 2021 Kitaōji Rosanjin (1883-1959) has long been hailed as one of the greatest ceramists of the twentieth century. While he forged a remarkable career, it was not without first crossing paths, and even colliding, with many of his contemporaries who were themselves renowned ceramic masters: Arakawa Toyozō, Fujiwara Kei, Kaneshige Tōyō, Katō Tokurō, Kawakita Handeishi, and Koyama Fujio. Our panel of experts re-examines the legend of Rosanjin as our concurrent gallery exhibition, TRADITION REDEFINED, places his oeuvre in dialogue with works by these other mid-century titans. They will discuss how some of his 'rivals' were indispensable to the advancement of Rosanjin’s outsized reputation, and how most remain relatively unknown in the West today. 0:00 Introduction - Joan Mirviss 4:57 Brief history of ceramic serving vessels - Morgan Pitelka 14:28 Rosanjin, the man and the legend - Louise Cort 26:34 Kuroda family relationship with Rosanjin - Kuroda Kusaomi 30:38 Rosanjin's development as an artist - Louise Cort 43:55 Reception of Rosanjin in the US - Meghen Jones 49:54 Friendship with Sidney Cardozo - Joan Cummins 57:59 Rosanjin at MOMA and Alfred University - Meghen Jones 1:08:52 Cardozo's legacy at the Brooklyn Museum - Joan Cummins 1:16:36 Rosanjin's enduring influence in Japan - Kuroda Kusaomi PANELISTS: LOUISE CORT, Curator emerita of ceramics, Freer | Sackler, Smithsonian Institution JOAN CUMMINS, Lisa and Bernard Selz Senior Curator of Asian Art, Brooklyn Museum MEGHEN JONES, Associate Professor of Art History, School of Art and Design, Alfred University KURODA KUSAOMI of Shibuya Kurodatoen Co., LTD, the foremost modern ceramics gallery in Japan MORGAN PITELKA, Professor and Chair, Department of Asian Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• A View From Above

  Understanding Hiroshige's 100 Famous Views of Edo June 3, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk A View From Above: Understanding Hiroshige's 100 Famous Views of Edo Recorded June 3, 2021 Considered one of the greatest achievements in Japanese print making, the celebrated series 100 Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo Hyakkei) by Utagawa Hiroshige (1796-1857) is examined in depth by our panel of experts. They will offer insights and analyses on this innovative series with far-reaching impact. These remarkably varied and dynamic scenes of 19th-century Edo influenced artists across the globe and through the centuries. PANELISTS: TERESA CARBONE, Program Director of American Art, Henry Luce Foundation JOAN CUMMINS, Lisa and Bernard Selz Senior Curator of Asian Art, Brooklyn Museum JOSEPH GODDU, Dealer in American art GARY LEVINE, Art dealer specializing in Japanese woodblock prints ANDREAS MARKS, Mary Griggs Burke Curator and Head of the Japanese and Korean Art Department, Minneapolis Institute of Art Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Born of Fire: Japanese Women Ceramic Artists (Part 1)

  Crow Museum of Asian Art, Dallas, TX April 20, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk with the Crow Museum of Asian Art and in partnership with Japan America Society Dallas-Fort Worth Recorded April 20, 2021 The Crow Museum of Asian Art in Dallas, Texas hosted a special conversation with three of the fourteen artists featured in their current exhibition, "Born of Fire: Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists." The exhibition draws from Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz's collection of Japanese modern and contemporary ceramics. Senior Curator Jacqueline Chao moderated a discussion between the artists, the Horvitzs, and Joan Mirviss. PANELISTS: MATSUDA YURIKO, Artist KATSUMATA CHIEKO, Artist FUKUMOTO FUKU, Artist CAROL and JEFFREY HORVITZ, Collectors and exhibition patrons JOAN MIRVISS Cultural interpretation provided by YOSHIZAWA TOMO This is part 1 of a 2-part conversation series with artists featured in "Born of Fire." Click here to watch the second conversation from September 2021. Read more

• Tradition Redefined

  Rosanjin and His Rivals March 10, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk Tradition Redefined: Rosanjin and His Rivals Recorded March 10, 2021 Kitaōji Rosanjin (1883-1959) has long been hailed as one of the greatest ceramists of the twentieth century. While he forged a remarkable career, it was not without first crossing paths, and even colliding, with many of his contemporaries who were themselves renowned ceramic masters: Arakawa Toyozō, Fujiwara Kei, Kaneshige Tōyō, Katō Tokurō, Kawakita Handeishi, and Koyama Fujio. Our panel of experts re-examines the legend of Rosanjin as our concurrent gallery exhibition, TRADITION REDEFINED, places his oeuvre in dialogue with works by these other mid-century titans. They will discuss how some of his 'rivals' were indispensable to the advancement of Rosanjin’s outsized reputation, and how most remain relatively unknown in the West today. PANELISTS: LOUISE CORT, Curator emerita of ceramics, Freer | Sackler, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC JOAN CUMMINS, Lisa and Bernard Selz Senior Curator of Asian Art, Brooklyn Museum, New York MEGHEN JONES, Associate Professor of Art History, School of Art and Design, Alfred University KURODA KUSAOMI of Shibuya Kurodatoen Co., LTD, the foremost modern ceramics gallery in Japan MORGAN PITELKA, Professor and Chair, Department of Asian Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more
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  Cascades and Glacial Landscapes: Jeff Shapiro

  Zoom Gallery Talk February 11, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk Cascades and Glacial Landscapes Recorded February 11, 2021 For our next Zoom event, Joan Mirviss will moderate a discussion with prominent clay artist Jeff Shapiro and ceramic collectors Halsey and Alice North on Jeff's unique journey: from ceramic training in Japan as a young man, through his decades-long evolution into an independent artist creating highly original works that draw from his varied experiences. PANELISTS: JEFF SHAPIRO, clay artist based in New York ALICE and HALSEY NORTH, ceramic collectors and museum patrons Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Masterworks of Modern Japanese Porcelain

  The Winter Show 2021 January 18, 2021 Read more

• An Insider's Look at Hokusai's Iconic Great Wave

  Zoom Gallery Talk January 7, 2021 ZOOM Gallery Talk An Insider's Look at Hokusai's Iconic "Great Wave" Recorded January 7, 2021 Joan B Mirviss LTD, along with Asia Week New York, hosted a Zoom panel discussion on the influence and legacy of Hokusai's most celebrated woodblock print, "The Great Wave." A recent record-setting sale of "Under the Wave off Kanagawa" from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (ca. 1830–32) by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) – more commonly known as "The Great Wave" – has proven once again the enduring impact of one of the world's most recognizable artworks. It once again prompted numerous questions from within the art world, from collectors, and the general public. Our esteemed group of Japanese art experts will shed light not only on the current market but also on the relevance of this globally iconic image. PANELISTS: MICHIKO ADACHI, Assistant Conservator at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston CHRISTINE GUTH, author of Hokusai's Great Wave and scholar of Japanese art history GARY LEVINE, longtime dealer specializing in Japanese woodblock prints MATTHEW MCKELWAY, Professor of Japanese Art History at Columbia University SARAH THOMPSON, Curator, Japanese Art at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• A Conversation with Pioneering Artists: In Contemporary Japanese Ceramics

  Zoom Gallery Talk November 5, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk The Allure of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics: A Conversation with Pioneering Artists Recorded November 5, 2020 Based on an exclusive launch event in Tokyo for The Allure of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics last year, we now open up that conversation with a new panel of artists and to share with a wider audience online. Singled out for their pioneering work, each artist has masterfully balanced tradition and innovation. As their longtime dealer, JOAN MIRVISS brings together these leading lights of contemporary clay for a very special conversation, which she will also moderate. ARTISTS: AKIYAMA YŌ is Japan's most distinguished clay sculptor and has been widely celebrated over the years for his groundbreaking work. He has received through his career some of Japan's most prestigious grand prizes. KITAMURA JUNKO was featured in seminal American exhibitions focused on Japanese ceramics, which then travelled to museums worldwide. Along with her husband Akiyama Yō, she is currently exhibiting in our highly-anticipated gallery show, "Seen/Unseen." KONDŌ TAKAHIRO was born into a renowned ceramics family in Kyoto but has quickly distinguished himself with bold new techniques and forms. His works are in prestigious international museum collections. NAKAMURA TAKUO was also born into a ceramics family, but in Kanazawa. His modern synthesis of various styles has made tradition new again in surprising and very personal ways. He has exhibited in and is collected in many countries. JEFF SHAPIRO, a ceramic artist based in upstate New York, studied Bizen ceramics with a Living National Treasure while living in Japan for nine years. He has exhibited internationally, and he has given workshops and seminars around the world. Read more

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  A Conversation with Pioneering Artists

  November 5, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk The Allure of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics: A Conversation with Pioneering Artists Recorded November 5, 2020 Based on an exclusive launch event in Tokyo for The Allure of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics last year, we now open up that conversation with a new panel of artists and to share with a wider audience online. Singled out for their pioneering work, each artist has masterfully balanced tradition and innovation. As their longtime dealer, JOAN MIRVISS brings together these leading lights of contemporary clay for a very special conversation, which she will also moderate. ARTISTS: AKIYAMA YŌ is Japan's most distinguished clay sculptor and has been widely celebrated over the years for his groundbreaking work. He has received through his career some of Japan's most prestigious grand prizes. KITAMURA JUNKO was featured in seminal American exhibitions focused on Japanese ceramics, which then travelled to museums worldwide. Along with her husband Akiyama Yō, she is currently exhibiting in our highly-anticipated gallery show, "Seen/Unseen." KONDŌ TAKAHIRO was born into a renowned ceramics family in Kyoto but has quickly distinguished himself with bold new techniques and forms. His works are in prestigious international museum collections. NAKAMURA TAKUO was also born into a ceramics family, but in Kanazawa. His modern synthesis of various styles has made tradition new again in surprising and very personal ways. He has exhibited in and is collected in many countries. JEFF SHAPIRO, a ceramic artist based in upstate New York, studied Bizen ceramics with a Living National Treasure while living in Japan for nine years. He has exhibited internationally, and he has given workshops and seminars around the world. Read more
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  Fathers and Sons: Wakao Toshisada and Wakao Kei

  Zoom Gallery Talk October 8, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk Tradition and Innovation: In Conversation with Wakao Toshisada and Wakao Kei Recorded October 8, 2020 "Fathers and Sons" explores the unique nature of lineage and received tradition as illustrated through two sets of father-son ceramic artists: Suzuki Osamu and his son, Tetsu, and Wakao Toshisada and his son, Kei. To accompany the exhibition, we are hosting the second of our artist conversations, with Wakao Toshisada and Wakao Kei, on Thursday, October 8th at 5 pm. Wakao Toshisada is an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Gifu prefecture whose masterful nezumi Shino (mouse-grey) functional work is decorated in the aesthetic of the Rinpa tradition. His son, Kei, however, experiments with bolder sculptural forms inspired by Nature that verge on the abstract and are covered in a range of craquelure celadon glazes. PANELISTS: LOUISE CORT, Curator Emerita for Ceramics at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC QUITMAN E. PHILLIPS, Joan B. Mirviss Professor of Japanese Art History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison CATHERINE WHITE, an accomplished American ceramist based in Virginia WAKAO TOSHISADA, artist WAKAO KEI, artist moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Fathers and Sons: Suzuki Osamu and Suzuki Tetsu

  Zoom Gallery Talk September 17, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk Fathers and Sons: Suzuki Osamu and Suzuki Tetsu Recorded September 17, 2020 "Fathers and Sons" explores the unique nature of lineage and received tradition as illustrated through two sets of father-son ceramic artists: Suzuki Osamu and his son, Tetsu, and Wakao Toshisada and his son, Kei. Please join us Thursday September 17 at 5pm, for the first of two panel discussions to accompany the exhibition. Thursday's discussion will be with Suzuki Osamu and Suzuki Tetsu. A master of white Shino ware, Suzuki Osamu has been designated a Living National Treasure and his son, Tetsu, has established himself in green and blue-green copper Oribe glazes. Joan Mirviss will moderate the discussion as our panelists speak directly with Suzuki Osamu and Suzuki Tetsu about their work, relationship, and legacy.  PANELISTS: MONIKA BINCSIK, Diane and Arthur Abbey Assistant Curator of Japanese Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York ANDREW MASKE, Associate Professor of Art History and Visual Studies at University of Kentucky SUZUKI OSAMU, artist SUZUKI TETSU, artist moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Fathers and Sons

  Wakao Toshisada and Wakao Kei September 8, 2020 Read more

• Fathers and Sons

  Suzuki Osamu & Suzuki Tetsu September 8, 2020 Read more

• Painting Edo: Japanese Art from the Feinberg Collection: Harvard Art Museums

  Zoom Gallery Talk August 20, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk Painting Edo: Japanese Art from the Feinberg Collection at Harvard Art Museums Part of the series, Singular Collections Brought to Light: Shuttered Japanese Art Exhibitions at Academic Museums Recorded August 20, 2020 We are delighted to announce the third panel discussion in our series focusing on important university exhibitions of Japanese art in galleries that are temporarily darkened. Joan B Mirviss LTD is honored to partner with Harvard Art Museum to present our next panel on the subject of Japanese paintings and the art of collecting, to be broadcast live on Zoom. You will be treated to an insider's view of this masterful exhibition showcasing the incredibly rich, diverse world of Edo art. Our distinguished panel will explore the depths and strengths of this remarkable collection as well as reveal other highlights in this prominent academic museum.   PANELISTS: RACHEL SAUNDERS, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Curator of Asian Art, Harvard Art Museums YUKIO LIPPIT, Jeffrey T. Chambers and Andrea Okamura Professor of History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University ROBERT AND BETSY FEINBERG, Collectors and museum patrons SEBASTIAN IZZARD, Art dealer specializing in Japanese and Korean art moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• The Private World of Surimono: Japanese Prints from the Virginia Shawan Drosten and Patrick

  Zoom Gallery Talk July 9, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk The Private World of SURIMONO: Japanese Prints from the Virginia Shawan Drosten and Patrick Kenadjian Collection at Yale University Art Gallery Part of the series, Singular Collections Brought to Light: Shuttered Japanese Art Exhibitions at Academic Museums Recorded July 9, 2020 We are delighted to announce the second panel discussion in our series focusing on important university exhibitions of Japanese art in galleries that are temporarily darkened. Joan B Mirviss LTD is honored to partner with Yale University Art Gallery to present our next panel on Japanese woodblock prints and the art of collecting. You will be treated to an insider's view of the highly important exhibition on the rarest and most luxurious of all Japanese print genres, SURIMONO. Our distinguished panel will explore the strengths of this remarkable collection of exquisite treasures as well as reveal other highlights in this prominent academic museum. PANELISTS: STEPHANIE WILES, Henry J. Heinz II, Director, Yale University Art Gallery DENISE LEIDY, Ruth and Bruce Dayton Curator of Asian Art, Department Head, Yale University Art Gallery SADAKO OHKI, Japan Foundation Associate Curator of Japanese Art, Yale University Art Gallery ADAM HALIBURTON, Ph.D Candidate, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Yale University VIRGINIA SHAWAN DROSTEN and PATRICK KENADJIAN, collectors and patrons moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection, Allen Memorial Art Museum: Oberlin College

  Zoom Gallery Talk June 18, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection at the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College Part of the series, Singular Collections Brought to Light: Shuttered Japanese Art Exhibitions at Academic Museums Recorded June 18, 2020 We are delighted to announce a new series this summer focusing on important university exhibitions of Japanese art in galleries that are temporarily darkened. For the first installment, Joan B Mirviss LTD is honored to partner with the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College to present a Zoom talk on Japanese woodblock prints and the art of collecting. You will be treated to an insider's view of the highly important exhibition, "Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection" that has just returned from a tour of Japan. Currently installed in the temporarily closed museum, our distinguished panel will explore the unique history and strengths of this collection as well as reveal highlights in this important academic museum. PANELISTS: ANDRIA DERSTINE, John G. W. Cowles Director, Allen Memorial Art Museum KEVIN R.E. GREENWOOD, Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art, Allen Memorial Art Museum BONNIE CHENG, Associate Professor, Art History & East Asian Studies, Oberlin College  moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Ukiyo-e

  Collecting Japanese Woodblock Prints June 17, 2020 Read more

• Saké

  Appreciating Japan's National Beverage May 15, 2020 Read more

• Ephemeral Beauty and Interiors: Inaba Chikako and Tanaka Yū

  Zoom Gallery Talk May 14, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk Ephemeral Beauty and Interiors: Inaba Chikako and Tanaka Yū Recorded May 14, 2020 We are delighted to present our 2nd Zoom live discussion with two noted American museum curators and three major supporters and collectors in the world of Japanese clay art. They will be chatting with the two young female artists, Inaba Chikako and Tanaka Yū, whose work is to be featured by our gallery in their first international solo exhibitions scheduled to "open" next week and then in June, respectively. PANELISTS: MONIKA BINCSIK, The Diane and Arthur Abbey Associate Curator for Japanese Decorative Arts, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York LOUISE CORT, Curator Emerita for Ceramics at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC HALSEY & ALICE NORTH, pioneering collectors and patrons of Japanese ceramic art and prominent supporters of the Metropolitan Museum of Art SARAH BILLINGHURST SOLOMON, Former Assistant General Manager, Artistic Affairs at the Metropolitan Opera and avid collector of Japanese clay art INABA CHIKAKO, artist TANAKA YŪ, artist moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• Ephemeral Beauty

  Sculptural Vessels by Inaba Chikako May 12, 2020 Inspired by the curling leaves of local foliage such as the deeply veined lotus, INABA Chikako (b.1974) cremates elegantly furled sculptural stoneware vessels covered in creamy white glaze. Among the awards her work has received, the most recent is the Third Japan Ceramic Society Encouragement Prize at Kansai in 2018. Read more

• Interiors

  Mysteries in Clay by Tanaka Yū May 12, 2020 Tanaka Yū (b.1989), a highly creative, young female artist based in Kyoto, focuses exclusively on clay sculpture. Inspired by the earlier Sodeisha group, she strives to create forms that encapsulate both space and air and question the very nature of functionality. The softness, texture and pliability of cotton cloth colored with traditional dyes for such standard materials are her main point of departure. These trompe l'ceil clay sculptures of Japanese wrapping cloths seemingly enclose hidden vessels or boxes. Read more

• Chanoyu

  Understanding Tea Ceremony April 24, 2020 Read more

• Windswept: Kino Satoshi

  Zoom Gallery Talk April 23, 2020 ZOOM Gallery Talk Windswept: Kino Satoshi Recorded April 23, 2020 We are very excited to present our first Zoom live discussion with the artist Kino Satoshi and five noted American enthusiasts in the world of Japanese clay art: PANELISTS: ALAN BELLER, long-time collector, patron of Japanese art at the Brooklyn Museum and board member of Mass MOCA CAROL CONOVER, former specialist in Chinese works of art at Sotheby's New York and recently retired director of Kaikodo Gallery JEFFREY & CAROL HORVITZ, leading collectors of Japanese art who work with major museums across the country in support of the field ROBERT MINTZ, Deputy Director of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco LISA ROTONDO-MCCORD, Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs and Curator of Asian Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art KINO SATOSHI, artist moderated by JOAN MIRVISS Read more

• The Six Ancient Kilns in Japan

  Distinctive Styles and Traditions April 14, 2020 Read more

• Windswept

  Porcelain Sculpture by Kino Satoshi April 9, 2020 This is the second NYC solo exhibition for porcelain sculptor Kino Satoshi (b. 1987), who is celebrated for his rippling, ribbon-like sculptures covered in pale, translucent, seihakuji celadon glaze. For further information on his works, please contact: info@mirviss.com Read more

• The Art of Ikebana

  Flower Arranging April 6, 2020 Read more

• Surpassing Tradition

  Redefining Tamba: Nishihata Tadashi November 7, 2019 Read more

• Surpassing Tradition

  Redefining Hagi: Kaneta Masanao November 7, 2019 Read more

• Composite Memories

  The Clay Art of Kishi Eiko September 12, 2019 Read more

• Waves of Optical Illusion

  Ogata Kamio September 12, 2019 Read more

• Kakejiku

  How to Hang Your Kakejiku (Hanging Scroll) July 11, 2019 Read more

• Furoshiki

  How to Tie Your Furoshiki May 16, 2019 Read more

• Tomobako

  A History of the Tomobako & Tying Instructions May 15, 2019 Read more

• Tomimoto Kenkichi and His Enduring Legacy

  March 26, 2019 JOAN B MIRVISS LTD together with Japan's leading modern ceramic dealer, Shibuya Kurodatoen Co., LTD are honored to present "Vessel Explored / Vessel Transformed: Tomimoto Kenkichi and his Enduring Legacy." This groundbreaking exhibition and its accompanying publication, the first of its type, focuses on the remarkable artist and teacher, Tomimoto Kenkichi and his continuing impact on the world contemporary Japanese ceramics. For without him and his legion of pupils, Japan would not be in the preeminent position as champion of ceramics that it is today. The exhibition includes over seventy works with multiple examples by both teachers and students spanning over eighty years and the book features essays by leading scholars and insightful commentaries by artists who knew him well. Read more

• Underglaze

  A History of Modern Ceramics December 5, 2018 Read more

• Making Ceramics

  An Archival Lecture by Wada Morihiro June 16, 2000 On June 16th, 2000, Wada Morihiro lectured at the Artist in Residency Building at The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park. Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park director, Sugiyama Michio, videotaped the lecture. The following is the archival recording of his presentation.  Read more