Kan Ito is a ceramic artist who has been working on the same shapes of vessel for more than 20 years. His vessels today, which have a lean shape and made to be functional, are the final result of countless failures, decisions – a long period spent on trial and error.
Our first encounter with Kan Ito was when owner of Arts & Science, Sonya Park, who was in charge of coordinating the tableware at Noma at Mandarin Oriental Tokyo in 2015. She requested Kan Ito to make the tableware. Later, when Arts & Science reopened DOWN THE STAIRS, we asked Ito to create plates and bowls for the soups and salads served for the lunch and dinner menu. The Western tableware shown in this exhibition is based on the pieces he has specially designed for us, in an extended wider range of sizes and variations. In addition, we will also be showing a vase produced from his reinterpretation of traditional Sue ware.
This exhibition will feature a collection of pottery that is suited for a modern lifestyle, crafted with the characteristics of traditional ceramic techniques handed down from generations. Kan Ito has faced the many challenges of production in order to create this collection for this presentation. We welcome you to please come and visit the exhibition.
PROFILE
Potter Kan Ito was born in 1971. After graduating from Osaka University of Arts, he studied under Hikaru Yamada in Kyoto. After competing with young artists from various countries in Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture, he returned to his hometown of Akizuki, Fukuoka, and began his work in ceramics under the guidance of his father, the celebrated potter Hitoshi Tachibana. Afterwards, he opened his own kiln in 2006 in Miura, Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture. His works are treasured for the particularity of his glazes, which give each vessel a profound and sometimes imposing presence. In 2012, he moved to Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, where he works on his pottery every day. Ito also produces tableware used at Arts & Science’s culinary project, DOWN THE STAIRS.
