{"product_id":"vase-sculptural-par-koinuma-michio-1936-2021-japon-seconde-moitie-du-xxe-siecle-2","title":"Sculptural vase by Koinuma Michio (1936-2021), Japan, second half of the 20th century","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSculptural Vase by Koinuma Michio (1936-2021)\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eJapan, second half of the 20th century.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCeramic vase of a very singular shape, constructed as a narrow and vertical mass, almost an upright sack, whose upper part opens into two pierced handles. The constricted base, then widening towards the shoulder, gives the whole a compact stability, while the double upper openwork lightens the silhouette and gives it a very particular tension. This form, both archaic and inventive, belongs fully to the vocabulary of Koinuma Michio, for whom the vase always tends towards sculpture.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe surface is covered with fragments of colored clay inlaid into the paste, using a process very characteristic of the artist. These textured plates of material, striated in relief, are arranged in oblique or vertical registers on the body of the vase, in shades of deep blue, blackened gray, beige, and ochre. The whole is then unified by a deliberately muted patina, slightly worn in appearance, which gives the piece an almost mural density. In Koinuma's work, color does not simply cover the form. It is embedded within the material itself, like a rough, constructed second skin. This alliance between powerful structure, worked surface, and matte palette is among the most recognizable aspects of his work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBorn in Tokyo in 1936, Koinuma Michio abandoned his studies in economics and political science to devote himself to ceramics. He settled in Mashiko and built his own kiln there in 1969. His work is based on a very personal practice of \u003cem\u003etatara\u003c\/em\u003e, with clay slabs assembled into geometric or organic shapes, to which he then gives surfaces evoking textiles, excavated earth, or archaic bronzes. Throughout his career, he exhibited regularly in Japan and received several important distinctions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHis international presence is well established. His works have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Taipei National Museum of History, and the Hong Kong Arts Centre. They are also held in collections such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Tochigi Prefectural Art Museum, and the Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation. His reception in New York is significant, particularly through Joan B. Mirviss, who integrated him into her program and the broader narrative of Japanese sculptural ceramics presented in New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this piece, the upper part, pierced with two openings, almost evokes a carried object or a small architectural element. The broader body receives the colored fragments like inlaid plates. The vase retains its function, but it is primarily conceived as a form of matter, rhythm, and structure. It is this tension between volume, openwork, and inlay that gives the work its strength.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal signed Tomobako.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e height 23 cm; width 12 cm; depth 10 cm.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sinapango ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54115052388698,"sku":null,"price":1800.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0957\/8568\/1242\/files\/IMG-8743.jpg?v=1778734689","url":"https:\/\/sinapango.com\/en\/products\/vase-sculptural-par-koinuma-michio-1936-2021-japon-seconde-moitie-du-xxe-siecle-2","provider":"Sinapango ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}