Collections: Asian Art

Fukami Sueharu (Japanese, b. 1947), Shinsho (Infinity II). Kyoto, Japan, 1994. Porcelain with seihakuji blue-green glaze, 6 x 47 5/8 x 9 1/2 in. (15.2 x 121 x 24.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased with funds given by Alastair B. Martin, 1994.146a-b

Alternately drawing upon and reacting to Japan's centuries-old history of ceramic making, contemporary artists have maintained Japan's role as a vital center for ceramic arts as they explore new uses and forms for the medium. Shinsho (Infinity II) is an exemplary work by the Kyoto artist Fukami Sueharu, who uses traditional ceramic materials to create conceptual sculpture. Fukami gained an international reputation in 1985 when he received the Grand Prize at the Faenza International Ceramic Exhibition in Italy. Born to a potter's family, he produces primarily porcelain pieces, ranging from utilitarian tableware thrown on a wheel to more expansive aesthetic statements in abstract form.

For this sculpture, Fukami used a pressurized casting method in which he pours white liquid clays of kaolin and petunse into a mold. He then carves the body at every edge and rim. After an initial firing, the delicate process of glazing is followed by a refiring in an electric kiln. The flawless texture and alluring color of this work derive from a long tradition of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese green-glazed wares. Neither freestanding nor functional, this object combines the blade-sharp edges, gently curved rims, and counter-curves or waves characteristic of Fukami's work.