The Tōgei: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics exhibition at the American Museum of Ceramic Art explores Japan’s ceramic tradition and its evolution from functional wares to modern artistic expression. Works ranging from tea utensils and flower vessels to non-functional and contemporary sculpture highlight how post-1940s potters experimented with form, glaze, and concept, often blending wabi-sabi aesthetics with contemporary design. The exhibition also reveals how Japanese cultural practices such as the tea ceremony, ikebana, and cuisine have influenced Western spaces and design trends. Featuring pieces by artists such as Suzuki Gorō, Hamada Shōji, and Yagi Kazuo, it traces a modernist renaissance in ceramics, including recent contributions from women artists who have gained opportunities to train in art universities. This marks the first major modern Japanese ceramics exhibition in eastern Los Angeles County in fifty years.
Curator: Hollis Goodall
On view: June 13, 2026 – January 3, 2027
