Keiichi Shimizu  清水圭一

Nestled in a beautiful valley along the Shitodani River among towering mountains northwest of Kyoto is the picturesque village Tachikui, the historic center of Tanba pottery. The rich ferrous soil in this area has supported generations of farmers and artisans since the early Kamakura period (1180-1230). The oldest existing nobori-gama (climbing kiln) in Japan is found here. This serene unpretentious locale is home of some of the most beautiful ceramics that have influenced aesthetic development in Japan and the western world. Famed British ceramist Bernard Leach was a frequent guest in this village.

Against this historic backdrop, contemporary potters in this area continue the rich heritage of Tanba pottery, drawing on their long traditions while pursuing a variety of individual styles. Our featured artist, Keiichi Shimizu, is one of the most innovative among the contemporary Tanba ceramists.

Keiichi Shimizu, a 4th-generation potter, was born in 1962 in Tanba Tachikui. Following the footsteps of his father, a respected potter in the Tanba tradition, he went to Kyoto to study pottery at Kyoto City Vocational School. After graduation in 1984, he launched his highly productive career in his home town as an independent artist. 

Shimizu explores three-dimensional interplay of lines, surfaces, colors and textures through ceramic. His works show a strong minimalist influence, with clean lines and taut surfaces. The deceptively simple forms belie great conceptual sophistication and meticulous attention to details, an exciting marriage between creative visions and Tanba heritage. To achieve his artistic visions, Shimizu does not shy away from new techniques, and he uses both gas kiln and traditional wood-firing. While most other traditional Tanba potters focus on wheel-thrown vases, Shimizu develops much of his works on forms dominated by slab-built surfaces. In the past several years, he has been working to integrate a traditional ‘white’ Tanba clay with natural ash glaze into a uniquely personal style. The current show features some of the finest examples of his works, which appear to strike a delicate balance between traditional Japanese aesthetic harmony and dynamic tension in form.