Mihara Ken 三原研 b. 1958

Born in Shimane Prefecture, Japan

MIHARA KEN's unique style is the culmination of a thoughtful dialogue between ceramist and clay. Using iron-rich clay and fire-resistant slip from his native Shimane prefecture, Mihara constructs each work through an organic creative process. His hand-formed works possess a strong linear quality while at the same time incorporating soft, delicate curves to create a unique combination of subtlety and solidity. Elegant shapes, often drawn from ancient forms or inspired by the tradition of origami, are fully sculptural and successful from every vantage point. With repeated firings at high temperatures, the surfaces of these vessels radiate subtle and soft colors ranging from deep gray to peach to misty white and purple.

Mihara is able to convey in his vessels a confident design sense, a seriousness of purpose, sophisticated style and brilliance of execution. This creative genius has been widely recognized by Japanese critics as evidenced by the awarding of numerous prestigious prizes and grants.
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MIHARA KEN, Large, elliptical, multi-fired vessel titled Kigen; "Origin", 2006
Exhibitions
Publications
News
- The Cleveland Museum of Art adds ceramics by five Japanese artists to Permanent Collection:
  Ishiguro Munemaro, Mihara Ken, Morino Taimei, Okabe Mineo & Sakiyama Takayuki May 5, 2020
  We are very excited to report that long-time and passionate supporters of fine art and art history in the Cleveland area, Joseph and Nancy Keithley,...
  Read more
- Iguchi Daisuke
  Iguchi wins the Grand Prize at Paramita Museum Ceramic Arts Exhibition July 29, 2019
  We are delighted to announce that Iguchi Daisuke, a clay artist whose first US solo exhibition we hosted in March 2018, won the grand prize...
  Read more
Sekki Kodo #16 - Undulating vessel with surface colorations, 2012. Unglazed multi-fired stoneware, 14 3/8 x 11 1/4 x 9 7/8 inches. Chazen Museum of Art, 2013.20.

Public Collections
Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, NC

Alfred University School of Art & Design, NY

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA

Brooklyn Museum, NY

Canberra University Art Museum, Australia

Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, WI

Cleveland Museum of Art, OH

Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA

Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Higashi-Hiroshima City Museum of Art, Japan

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA

Gotoh Museum, Tokyo, Japan

Grassi Museum of Art, Germany

Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Japan

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA

Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art, Japan

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Mint Museum, NC

Musée Ariana, Geneva, Switzerland

Musée Cernuschi, Paris, France

Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany

Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo, Japan

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

Museum of Modern Ceramics, Tajimi, Japan

National Gallery of Australia, Parkes, Australia

National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan

New Orleans Museum of Art, LA

Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA

Portland Art Museum, OR

Sankei Building, Tokyo, Japan

Shimane Art Museum, Japan

Spencer Art Musum, University of Kansas

Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, MA

Takagi Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama, Japan

Tanabe Art Museum, Matsue, Japan

Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK

Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, MD

Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT

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