Maeta Akihiro

Maeta Akihiro (b. 1954) is a highly influential artist and considered the leading white porcelain ceramicist of his generation. Maeta explores the textural possibilities of porcelain, without using a potter’s wheel to form his pieces, but rather, he forms the faceted designs in much of his pottery by hand, through free form sculpting and molding with just fingers and palms. Then, in what is a contemplative process for Maeta, prior to the glazing process, he uses a single blade to trim and erase any traces or marks of his hand. Finally, the works are fired in a relatively low temperature gas kiln. The resulting white porcelain sculptures are elegant tributes to simple beauty without excess. His works are unlike any other contemporary Japanese porcelain: pure, serene, and seemingly perfect.