Exhibition/event has ended.
Ken Matsuyama "Patterned Dogu Animal Clay Masks"
Medel Gallery Shu Hibiya
Finished
SHARE
Artists
Ken Matsuyama
Medel Gallery Shu Hibiya is pleased to present “Patterned Clay Figures, Animal Clay Masks”, a solo exhibition by Ken Matsuyama, on view from October 3 to 21, 2024.
Centered on diverse clay sculptures fired through the ancient technique of open firing, the exhibition introduces Matsuyama’s lifelong exploration of “earth” and “form.” For Matsuyama, who grew up near the Jomon archaeological site of Goshono in Iwate Prefecture, the shapes of clay vessels and figurines remain a primal experience. The act of molding clay and entrusting it to fire transcends mere form-making, embodying a vision of “coexistence between nature and humankind.”
The sculptural works—imbued with unpredictable surfaces shaped by flames and smoke—appear like excavated relics, yet simultaneously resonate as contemporary art. In this exhibition, Matsuyama highlights his most primitive yet experimental practice: open-fired clay sculptures. The works evoke ritual tools and vessels of antiquity, human body symbolism, dynamic curves, and layers of modern visual language.
From this dialogue between fire and earth emerges a body of work that recalls our origins while igniting imagination toward the future. Matsuyama’s clay sculptures form a bridge between the memory of archaeological remains and the practice of contemporary art, reflecting the innate creative impulse embedded within the act of making.
The exhibition will feature clay figurines, animal-shaped masks, spiral-patterned ceramic reliefs, lacquered clay vessels, reconstructed Jomon-style pottery, and paintings inspired by ancient ceramic motifs.
We warmly invite you to experience this exhibition, which presents both a new direction for our gallery and a guiding path for the future.
Centered on diverse clay sculptures fired through the ancient technique of open firing, the exhibition introduces Matsuyama’s lifelong exploration of “earth” and “form.” For Matsuyama, who grew up near the Jomon archaeological site of Goshono in Iwate Prefecture, the shapes of clay vessels and figurines remain a primal experience. The act of molding clay and entrusting it to fire transcends mere form-making, embodying a vision of “coexistence between nature and humankind.”
The sculptural works—imbued with unpredictable surfaces shaped by flames and smoke—appear like excavated relics, yet simultaneously resonate as contemporary art. In this exhibition, Matsuyama highlights his most primitive yet experimental practice: open-fired clay sculptures. The works evoke ritual tools and vessels of antiquity, human body symbolism, dynamic curves, and layers of modern visual language.
From this dialogue between fire and earth emerges a body of work that recalls our origins while igniting imagination toward the future. Matsuyama’s clay sculptures form a bridge between the memory of archaeological remains and the practice of contemporary art, reflecting the innate creative impulse embedded within the act of making.
The exhibition will feature clay figurines, animal-shaped masks, spiral-patterned ceramic reliefs, lacquered clay vessels, reconstructed Jomon-style pottery, and paintings inspired by ancient ceramic motifs.
We warmly invite you to experience this exhibition, which presents both a new direction for our gallery and a guiding path for the future.
Schedule | Oct 3 (Fri) 2025-Oct 21 (Tue) 2025 Opening Hours Information
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | Free | ||||
| Website | https://medelgalleryshu.com/hibiya/hibiya-exhibition/ken-matsuyama-patterned-dogu-animal-clay-masks-2025/ | ||||
| Venue | Medel Gallery Shu Hibiya https://medelgalleryshu.com/ | ||||
| Location | 1F The Imperial Hotel Plaza, 1-1-1 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0011 | ||||
| Access | 2 minute walk from exit A13 at Hibiya Station on the Hibiya and Chiyoda lines. 5 minute walk from exit C1 at Ginza Station on the Ginza, Hibiya and Marunouchi lines. | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
Back to Articles
SHARE
No comments yet