The Crocker Art Museum is pleased to announce Hands and Earth: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, a collection of over 40 ceramic objects that provides a stunning introduction to clay artistry from Japan, on view from September 12, 2021 through April 24, 2022.

Featuring a selection of important works by master Japanese ceramic artists this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see significant examples of both traditional and avant-garde approaches to clay from the past eighty years. This exhibition showcases both functional vessels and sculptural forms, and a wide range of shapes, glazes, techniques, and surface treatments. The featured ceramics blend ingenuity with a deep respect for tradition and excellence in craft.

“This exhibition shows how exciting and innovative Japanese ceramists are today,” notes Rachel Gotlieb, the Crocker’s inaugural Ruth Rippon Curator of Ceramics. “Their works, whether referencing the vessel form or evoking elements of nature, are beautifully crafted and truly inspirational, reminding us of our deep and important connection with the earth.”

Most of the pieces in the show are made by masters who are living and practicing today, and of the thirty-five artists represented in this exhibition, seven have been given the title “Living National Treasure” by the Japanese government. The honor has been given since 1950 to practicing artists who have attained the highest level of mastery in their chosen fields. These artists and their work are considered some of the most aesthetically and technically innovative in the world, though at the same time, they often incorporate artistic traditions that began thousands of years ago.

EXHIBITION RELATED EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

• Art on Film: Miss Hokusai (10/24)

ABOUT THE CROCKER
The Crocker brings people together and connects them in unexpected ways with art, ideas, each other and the world around them. Founded as a public/private partnership in 1885, the Crocker features the world’s foremost display of California art and is renowned for its holdings of master drawings and international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker serves as the primary regional resource for the study and appreciation of fine art and offers a diverse spectrum of exhibitions, events, and programs to deepen visitors' understanding of art, including films, concerts, studio classes, lectures, and an array of activities for families and children. More information about exhibits and programs can be found at crockerart.org.

ABOUT THE COLLECTION/FUNDING ORGANIZATION
This exhibition was made possible thanks to the generosity of Carol and Jeffery Horvitz and the Jeffrey Horvitz Foundation. Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz have amassed an encyclopedic holding of Japanese modern and contemporary ceramics. With more than 1,000 examples, it is the largest collection of contemporary Japanese ceramics outside of Japan.