
ARTISTS / Kawakami Mako
Kawakami Mako is a rising ceramic artist from Kanagawa, Japan, currently based in Nomi, Ishikawa. She graduated from the Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramic Technology Training Center in 2012, where she studied under the guidance of renowned dyed pottery master Yamamoto Chouza. When she came to Kanazawa and saw the works of Yamamoto, she was deeply impressed and decided to learn the techniques of Kutani ware. With a strong desire to become a “sometsuke” pottery artist, in her second year at the Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramic Technology Training Center, she created a “sometsuke” (blue and white) dish inspired by the Edo Rinpa school’s style "Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn.”
Kawakami's sometsuke works are characterised by their soft colours, with a gentle feeling emanating from the clear blue tones. In addition, she focuses on classical themes while exploring new possibilities for dyed pottery through her youthful ambition and unique painting expressions. This has raised expectations for her work even higher. After starting her independent creative work, she has incorporated modern sometsuke techniques while maintaining a traditional style. She advocates for a free style and creates her own unique blue ocean world using sometsuke techniques, with marine life as her main subject.
Regarding this exhibition, she said, "I place great importance on the unique transparency and gentle colour matching of blue and white, and I hope to create an expressive style with ample white space, giving users a playful experience. I have learned a lot about classical art from China and Japan, and I look forward to how the audience in Hong Kong will appreciate my work."
Born in Kanagawa, Japan and currently residing in Nomi, Ishikawa
2012 Graduated from the Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramic Technical Training Center with a Bachelor's degree, studying under master potter Yamamoto Chouza of "Myosen Pottery Studio"
2016 Began creating independent works of painted ceramics mainly using sometsuke (blue and white) technique
Exhibitions:
2017-2018, held solo exhibitions at Iwataya in Fukuoka and at Isetan Sagamihara in Kanagawa, Japan.
2019 to present, participated in solo and group exhibitions at galleries and department stores throughout Japan. She is also an active member of the Kutani-yaki female group "Dancing Kutani", and is active in this field.
2023 Dancing Kutani: Blooming and Resonance of Beauty, Touch Ceramics, Hong Kong