Born to the most celebrated ceramics family in Hagi, MIWA KAZUHIKO is the third son of National Living Treasure Kyūsetsu XI (1910-2012) and brother of Ryōsaku (b. 1940). Despite this lofty artistic heritage, he has striven through the decades to chart an independent path. As a teenager, he first was drawn by the work of clay master Peter Voulkos to study in the United States as it afforded him great artistic freedom. There he studied at the San Francisco Art Institute for five years. Since his return to Hagi, Miwa has continued to be challenged by his artistic environment and heavy mantle while at the same time presenting his clay art in challenging, thought-provoking ways and experimental new approaches. In May 2019, Kazuhiko assumed the family name of MIWA KYŪSETSU XIII at his brother’s retirement.
In his recent bold, angular and sculptural forms, the rich, creamy white Hagi glaze beads up revealing the red clay that sometimes fires to black. In addition to his bold sculptural work, Miwa also creates dynamic, elegant and sculptural tea ware.
