Miyashita Zenji was an important Japanese artist, creating sculptural works that are instantly recognisable for his use of layered coloured clay ‘saidei’ technique and gradated colours evoking mountainous landscapes.
Miyashita Zenji studied at Kyoto City University of Arts from 1960, where he was taught by Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kondo Yuzo, who were influential figures. He later went on to teach there himself between 1966-85.
Early on in his career he was already concerned with design, with a strong vision for the outcome of each work which he would plan meticulously before starting. He then began to experiment with coloured clay, developing his layering technique for which he is best known. He started making coloured clay works around 1978, and this has dominated his practice from them on. Using the ‘saidei’ technique of coloured clays, he builds up very thin layers which overlap in bands over the surface of his pots. These are usually built up in colour gradients of shades of blue and green through to deep purple and light pink. These gradated shades create designs reminiscent of landscapes.
Miyashita Zenji’s distinctive works are widely celebrated in Japan and globally. He has won the prestigious Nitten prize 18 times, and his works are held in numerous public collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Musée des Arts Décoratif, Paris, and The British Museum, London.
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