Online Cultural Course PiVOTAL
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Abe Anjin
Ceramic artist, painter, sculptor
Born in Osaka in 1938 and moves with family as small child to Ehime Prefecture. Moves to Tokyo on finishing high school to study painting but subsequently returns to Ehime and takes up work as company employee. Holds debut painting exhibition in 1967 at Konohana Gallery in Tokyo. Signs contract with Osaka gallery in 1970 that provides for monthly payments for prescribed amount of output. Finds terms of contract oppressive and discovers relief in ceramics. Soon wins acclaim with his Bizen ware ceramics—praised by collectors as most Momoyama-like Bizen since Momoyama period (late 16th century)—and opens Konohana studio in Okayama Prefecture. Has continued to create striking work in painting, sculpture, and lacquer.
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Video interviews with Abe Anjin
Interviewers: Miller Waku, Koga Hiroyuki
Explorations into New Possibilities in Art
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Exerts original touch even while tapping Momoyama tradition
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Made waves in world of ceramics with “chromatic Bizen”
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Works appear in collections of Metropolitan Museum and other museums
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Continues painting, his renderings of stag beetles being especially popular
Exhibitions (partial listing)
1967 Holds debut painting exhibition at Konohana Gallery, Tokyo
1977–1981 Holds ceramic exhibition annually at Ikeuchi Fine Art, Tokyo
1983,1985 Holds ceramic exhibition at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi (department store)
1986 Establishes studio in Okayama Prefecture
1990–1995 Holds ceramic exhibition annually at Gallery Kochukyo, Tokyo
1997 Holds exhibition in memory of Ikeda Masuo at Gallery Kawanishi, Ehime Prefecture
1999–2002 Holds ceramic exhibition annually at Sankeido, Tokyo
2003 Gifts Metropolitan Museum, New York, with three Bizen ware water jars
2014–2015 Participates in exhibition to mark 400th anniversary of passing of Furuta Oribe, Tokyo,
Kyoto, Hiroshima
2022– Holds ceramic exhibition annually at Kashima Arts, Tokyo
