Artist
Niisato Akio
Spheres. 2021. Porcelain. Installation view from No Man’s Land—The Future of Ceramic Art, the Unseen Beyond the Horizon, Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo, 2021.
Luminescent Form. 2022. Porcelain. H. 16, W. 26, D. 23 cm.
Luminescent Cylinder. 2022. Porcelain, glaze. H. 21.5, W. 21, D. 17.5 cm.
Niisato is an up-and-coming ceramicist who has drawn international attention for his signature “luminescent vessels.” He creates perforations in the clay of thrown white porcelain forms, which he then coats with a clear glaze and fires. The translucent patterns created by the glaze-filled perforations are Niisato’s original take on delicate hotarude (“firefly”) ware. In recent years, he has focused on the relationship between works and their surroundings, creating a new series of spherical objects liberated from display surfaces and studio exhibition spaces.
Profile
Niisato Akio
Born in 1977 in Chiba Prefecture. After withdrawing from Waseda University (Philosophy Department, First School of Literature), Niisato went on to graduate from the Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center in 2001. His past awards include the 2005 Premio Faenza Prize in Memory of Eleuterio Ignazi for young artists (Italy), the 2008 Paramita Ceramic Art Grand Prix Exhibition grand prize, the 2008 International Ceramics Festival Mino special judge’s award, honorable mention at the 2009 Kikuchi Biennale, the 2014 MOA Mokichi Okada Award newcomer award, and the 2020 Japan Ceramic Society Prize. His works are exhibited domestically and overseas at locations as diverse as America, Italy, and Romania.