Decorative Arts – Page 4 – High End Weekly™

Picasso’s Madoura Years

Christie’s London June Sale

The fortunate few had their last chance of owning Picasso’s Madoura Collection last month at Christie’s June 25th Sale. Over 550 ceramic works were presented and they spanned a total of 24 years, between 1947 and 1971. Those were the years that the master spent with his second wife, Jacqueline Roque at the Madoura Pottery in Valluris. According to Christie’s, this coveted collection was the last opportunity for collectors to purchase them directly from where they were made.

Pictured: Pablo Picasso at the Madoura Pottery in Vallauris, France

Madoura Ceramic

Pablo Picasso with his wife, Jacqueline Roque (directly from his left)

Madoura Ceramic from Picasso

Fantastical Form and Shape

Rare Bird
Madoura Ceramics from Christie’s June 2012 Sale

Pablo Picasso at work on one of his Madoura Ceramics

Picasso was a lover of nature, animals, and of people too

Madoura Ceramics

Pablo Picasso

Form As Fantasy

The conventional shapes and faces of the figures formed a fantasy. This was Picasso at one of his best periods. Experimenting with a new medium and making it work – his way, of course.

Photos courtesy Christie’s

More images of Picasso’s Madoura Ceramics can be found at our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/highendweekly.

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Treasure Hunting from Eve Kelly Herman

Noted antique dealer, Eve Kelly Herman shares highlights from her trip to Italy, England & The Netherlands. Her space on the 1st Dibs floor at the New York Design Center is a must for interior designers and discerning collectors looking for that special, unique finds that she brings back from her trips to Europe and beyond. But, some may know little of what it takes to unearth these sought after goodies. Good taste and a good eye are only the begining. As any intrepid dealer knows, just plain grunt work makes all the difference.

Here is Eve Kelly Herman’s commentary from her recent trip to Europe:

I hear it all the time, “Oh, you antiques dealers. It must be so wonderful just to spend every day shopping for beautiful things.” I try to keep a straight face and murmur, “Well, it’s not as glamorous as you think.” This sometimes inevitably leads to a discussion about some of my favorite purchases such as Italian glass, like mid-century Murano lighting for example, or beautiful Florentine sterling silver pieces from the 1950’s.

Bartolozzi & C. Sterling Silver Cup

Left: Venini Chandelier. Right: Max Ingrand for Fontana Arte Sconces

Over the past couple of months I’ve traveled to England, Italy and The Netherlands to curate pieces for my business. Visiting cities such as London, Parma, Bologna, Florence, Milan, Arezzo and Amsterdam led to my return with many highly sought and coveted objects. Outside of a few decadent meals and some educational trips to the design museums in London and Milan, my explorations were not much of a vacation.

Parma appears much less charming when navigating an unknown autostrade for 15 kilometers at 5am on a rainy morning only to arrive at a grim exhibition hall in the middle of an industrial wasteland that might as well be in New Jersey. However, inside was a treasure house where I came away with a variety of wonderful Italian glass mid-century lighting, which includes some truly remarkable 1960’s Venini chandeliers and sconces. The demand for beautifully crafted pieces is endless and they are getting much more difficult to find.

It’s nearly impossible not to take some time to enjoy Florence or Venice, even when I’m obsessively on the hunt for new merchandise. But the leisure aspect of the trip dims when I am focused on making purchases. It can take a lot of mental effort to really evaluate fine Murano vases when you’re looking at them by flashlight in a dusty, teetering crate on the third floor of a very dark warehouse. They do sparkle much more now that they’re on display in my space at 1stdibs in the NYDC.

Pauly & C. CVM Vase

Photos courtesy Highland Park Antique and Contemporary Furnishings

In Amsterdam, I did take a full day to learn about the city and see some of the major attractions, which was followed by four days of clambering through narrow shops, and multi-story warehouses with no elevators. Amsterdam is famed for its canals; it should be famed for its stairs. I must have climbed a flight of stairs for every item I bought. Even so, I’m looking forward to my next trip there. I’ve never had such a workout incorporated into the day.

I love what I do. I get to see beautiful things I never imagined existed as well as handle them and learn about them from my suppliers in addition to my own research. My colleagues tend to have diverse interests and even more diverse backgrounds. It’s a field where strong friendships are a big part of the business interactions. But don’t get the idea that it’s a glamorous life. Like a miner, we all spend days sifting through the rubbish of the past to find one or two items we feel are lost treasures.

Article contributed by Eve Kelly Herman

David Hicks’ Lavish Interiors

David Hicks latest project is a clean, sharp, functional third floor apartment, with a commanding view over Melbourne’s oceanfront. His client, a glamourous jet setting lady, wanted to renovate her 10th floor apartment by bringing in the outside view as much as possible. So David cleverly executed a space that is devoid of clutter, and filled with pleasurable senses, subdued, yet vibrant colors, and a multitude of high end materials that compliment an interior that looks and feels as glamorous as the owner herself.

Soft blues, greens and sandy colors were selected and contrasted with crisp white and polished steel.

Crisp white paint, vivid white, was selected for its non color effect. This allowed the other colors, as well as the materials
to speak and provide a crisp shell like bone structure.

“Contemporary interior design for me is about pushing the boundaries with materials while making a space timeless and almost effortless in its detail. It is about the knowledge to combine vintage with modern and antique. Sustainability lies not only in the materials used but also in the life the project will enjoy.”

David Hicks

The Interior Plans for The Apartment

Mirrors served as wonderful embellishments, reflected the view, and created a great focal point for the apartment. Furniture and fabrics were selected to compliment the theme along with beautiful artwork by Dale Frank in deep sea colors.

To complete the look, the internationally famed interior designer incorporated a number of mirrors in order to emphasize the concept of its surroundings – the natural and calm colors of the ocean and sand below. Throughout the space, David used a number of grass cloth panels that served as a duel purposes – bringing texture into the rooms, as well as covering concealed panels that lead to the bedroom areas. As a result, this haven was designed with a strong sense of balance, and is in perfect harmony with its surroundings.

Photos courtesy Shannon McGrath

Meet Juan Montoya

It’s hard to catch a man like Juan Montoya. The prolific interior designer keeps an active schedule. Today he’s designing new pieces of furniture and accessories for Century Furniture, tomorrow he’s heading to the city of lights for the inaugural celebrations at one of his latest projects, Galerie Agnès Monplaisir, located at 8 bis rue Jacques Callot. I had the good fortune of catching up with him late last month at his upper east side office.

High End Weekly™: Galerie Agnès Monplaisir boasts some of the most impressive contemporary works of art from Olga de Amaral, Igor Mitoraj, to name a few. It must have been exciting to design this famous gallery located in one of Paris most prestigious arrondissement.

Juan Montoya: I’ve known Agnès for the past 10 years. She is a spirited individual, with a gallery that specializes mainly in fine prints, as well as art deco, and contemporary art.

The gallery was originally designed by Jean Michel Wilmotte for Jean-Gabriel Mitterand. Agnès didn’t want a cold and calculating space, so I’ve designed a space that is warm and inviting. All the flooring is wood instead of cement. I’ve chosen a series of mobile panels that would divide the spaces, and offer a complete flexibility to any of her future exhibitions. The gallery is comprised of 3 floors. The basement is designed with a view to entertain. For examples: diners and special events. The 1st floor has the capacity to hold several major exhibitions. And finally, the 2nd floor will be used as a media room/office.

Soul 1 Chair

W: 40″ x D: 37.5″ x H: 32″

HEW: How splendid! Looking at your work over the years, it’s obvious that you have a passion for art. When you design for your clients, how does art plays into it?

JM: Some of my clients already have accumulated pieces which were inherited from their families. Others have no art, but wants to invest. The question is what is a good investment? My answer is: Collect What You Love – first. That is my best answer to anyone who wants to acquire art. Do not buy art because it’s trendy, or it’s from a blue chip artist. The important thing, in terms of looking at art versus design, is the essence of how restful and at peace you are when your eyes are drawn to it. Art is not wallpaper. It definitely plays a larger role in the design process. Having said that, there’s another theory which suggests that art belongs in museums. That is the theory behind Giorgio Armani’s designs. His thinking is: art should be in a museum, it should not have a presence within his homes. I do not necessarily agree, nor do I disagree with that. It is possible to have an amazing textured walls with so much character that it substitute for art. At the same time, a genuine and powerful drawing can create some deep emotions, and that is what I love. I’m all about textures, a beautiful sense of color, and the creative process that various types of materials can bring.

Correa Bed

Queen – W: 66″ x D: 90.5″ x H: 48″. King – W: 82″ x D: 90.5″ x H: 48″. California King – W: 78″ x D: 94.5″ x H: 48

HEW: You’re also about designing some top-rated furniture. Please tell me about your Century Icons Furniture line located at The New York Design Center.

JM: There’s three icons as you know. Oscar de la Renta was the first. Then I was ask to come along in the Spring of 2011, and now Charlotte Moss has joined our ranks. The Icons of Design Collection is made up of 33 pieces, and it’s growing fast. Every six month, we add another piece to the collection which is a combination of chairs, tables, beds, ottomans, etc. Century currently owns 12 showrooms, and 20 subsidiaries around the country. The entire collection is available to the trade and the public.

Antelope Arm Chair

W: 22.5″ x D: 24.75″ x H: 36.5″

HEW: Where did the inspiration for this particular collection come from?

JM: The collection started with the idea that when you buy a space, say an apartment for example, you can never find the right proportional furniture to live with. The space may be too big, too small, or the scale is wrong. As an interior designer, everything I design is functional. Thus the pieces that I created for Century are right on scale, they’re quite durable, unique, and non trendy. My clients sometimes have specific needs, and my job as a designer is to create for them bespoke interiors.

Vilmos Ottoman

W: 31″ x D: 31″ x H: 18″

HEW: A few years back, you designed an ubber chic room for The Kips Show House. I loved it! When you’re starting to work on a show house, where exactly does the inspiration comes from?

JM: There’s many reasons behind me designing a show house. A: The year. B: The house itself C: Designing it for a specific purpose. It’s not every year that you found me designing a show house. I do it when the moment is right. I make it happen, and it feels great.

Branch Table

W: 48″ x D: 48″ x H: 29″

HEW: You are a tireless traveler. How have your experiences overseas influence your design aesthetics?

JM: Traveling is the best way to learn for a visual person such as myself. Foreign lands bring a nourishing, and visual energy to my work. When I see people going about their everyday business of life, working, horseback riding, socializing in the streets with their friends… I utilize the relationship between the clothes, the surroundings, essentially the background, all these elements inspire me. You know, it’s the little things that you sometimes gained from a great deal. Finding all these elements make life more interesting, and when I combine all these visual effects along with my expertise, my designs happen naturally, and beautifully.

Cornet Lounge Chair

W: 22.75″ x D: 40″ x H: 41.5

HEW: Brilliant. What is next for Juan Montoya?

JM: I would like to be able to find the time to draw, and paint. When I was 5 years old, I began painting, and in fact held an exhibition at Edgartown in Martha’s Vineyard when I was a young adult. I’d love to be able to travel more, and bring more to the table for my clients. I’d like to inspire and be inspired by exceptional design. I’m not interested in creating a formula and be stagnant. I want to be known because of my work. For me, this is not only work, it’s my lifestyle, it’s my way of being.

NOTE: More photos of Juan Montoya’s furniture line can be found at www.facebook.com/highendweekly.

Have A Seat!

“The chair is the thing that is closest to people, so it is important that its detailing is in order.”

Hans J. Wegner

RR Koch Folding Chair

Carl Hansen & Son

I’ve heard it said that a chair is by far, one of the hardest pieces of furniture to design, no matter how simple or how complicated it may look. I think I agree with that. And when it comes to well designed chairs, I tend to look towards the 1950s, because during the course of those years, you had designers like Hans J. Wegner producing some of the most iconic and amazingly functional chairs for that period. It’s funny, I recently visited a showroom here in Manhattan where I sat on a chair that had similar designs to Wegner’s CH07 lounge chair.

The Ultimate Seating Comfort

Hans J. Wagner Lounge Chair

Hans J. Wegner CH24 Chair
Also known as the Wishbone Chair

Clean Elegance
Carl Hansen & Son CH33 Chair

Bold and Colorful

The new edition of Hans Wagner’s CH 24 Chairs comes in these variant green colors, and orange,
blue, purple, white and pink!

The owner volunteered the name, but low and behold, the copycat’s identity went from one ear and out the next. As we all know, just about anything can be duplicated these days. Now let’s talk about the real thing. Carl Hansen & Son recently recreating one of my favorite designs, the CH33 chair, which came out in 1957 by Hans J. Wegner. It was produced for just 10 years before it went out of production! After learning Wegner’s daughter Marianne chose the chair for the desk in her very own first bedroom, Carl Hansen was inspired to recreate it. Aren’t we glad that he did!

Michael Aram’s Molten Month Event

I was delighted to be part of Michael Aram’s blogger event last week. As many of you may already know, this is Molten Month at Michael Aram, and we all came together to celebrate his latest collection at his flagship store located at 136 West 18th Street in New York City. Michael is so well connected with nature and the evidence of this love is seen on so many of his designs, and the way he chose to highlight his collections at the store.

Michael Aram Molten Collection

The Making of The Molten Collection

Stage 4 and

Stage 6

More shots from the Michael Aram’s Molten Collection

Signature cupcakes from Keremo

Photos courtesy Michael Aram

Vyna St Phard, Michael Aram

Photo courtesy High End Weekly™

The evening was filled with wondrous designs for the bride to be, and of course for all of us who value extremely high quality designs at reasonable prices. I encourage you to visit the store whenever possible, and don’t forget to view the video on the making of his Molten Collection, as well as the exhibition entitled: The Molten Collection Through The Years. For more images about the event, visit HEW on Facebook.

OF NOTE:

The New Molten collection celebrates handcraftsmanship at its most basic level. Each bead is individually welded along the edge of the product, making each a unique piece. New Molten is made from stainless steel and is perfect for elegant everyday functionality. During the month of June, Michael Aram is celebrating Molten Month with a Mini Molten Frame gift with purchase on all purchases of $150 or more. The promotion is valid online, in-store and at select retailers. The full list can be found here: http://www.michaelaram.com/nsite/assistance.aspx?ptype=O

Masterpiece London

Third time’s the charm. Masterpiece London, will open for the third year at the South Grounds of The Royal Hospital Chelsea, on Thursday, June 28th until Wednesday, July 4th, 2012. A Preview will take place on June 27. This fair has become popular for its astonishingly broad range and fusion of disciplines. For example, in addition to the finest works from classical antiquity, ethnographica, furniture, ceramics, Renaissance bronzes, paintings, furniture and jewelry, one will can also expect one-off bespoke works of art, be it a Rolls Royce or Harley Davidson, made specifically for the fair.

Merrin Egyptian Mask

Masterpiece London aims for the best of the best in all categories, ancient or modern. Hence visitors, who come to look for watches, vintage cars or fine wine, will engage with extraordinary masterworks that they might never otherwise had the opportunity to see.

Safani Egyptian Cat

Photos courtesy Masterpiece London

Sixteen leading galleries from the United States have signed on this exciting exhibition. Returning to Masterpiece London are Kentshire, Michele Beiny, Les Enluminures, Safani Gallery, Elle Shushan, favorites like Tambaran Gallery, The Silver Fund, and A La Vielle Russie. The new kids on the block are: Collisart, The Merrin Gallery, Fred Leighton, Siegelson, Sebastian + Barquet, and Sperone Westwater & Alberto di Castro, all New York-based galleries. Not only will a visitor to Masterpiece London 2012 be spoilt by a trove of magnificent exhibits to discover, there will also be a complimentary education programme of informative lectures offered by leading experts, including those from The Wallace Collection in London. Besides the expertise of these authorities, Masterpiece London visitors will have the opportunity to draw on the knowledge of the exhibitors themselves, each of whom has a well-informed background in their fields.

Art Antiques London

Art Antiques London will take place this coming Wednesday, June 13th, until the following week, Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 at the Albert Memorial West Lawn, Kensington Gardens, London (opposite The Royal Albert Hall). This important art fair incorporates The International Ceramics Fair and Seminar, which was launched in June 2010.

The Silver Fund Puiforcat Tea and Coffee Set from Adrian Sassoon. A Very Rare Jean Puiforcat Mexico Tea and Coffee Set on Tray Sterling silver with green onyx handles. Mexico, Circa 1943

The fair has since won praises for its central location, light and airy atmosphere, not to mention stylish presentation. Now in its third year, Art Antiques London has surpassed expectations, and has become a vital yearly meeting place for international dealers, collectors, museum curators and academics. Over 70 of the world’s leading art dealers will be present. This year, the breadth of dealers has grown to include experts in disciplines such as Modern British Art, 20th Century Design (my favorite design period), Tapestry and Antique Textiles, and European Jewelry.

Sèvres Teapot & Sugar bowl from Adrian Sassoon

Photos courtesy Adrian Sassoon

UK antique dealer, Adrian Sassoon will once again be showing an extraordinary array of ceramics, both antique and contemporary. One of the most coveted being a Teapot and Sugar bowl from a Tea Service made at Sèvres between 1782 and 1785. Did you notice the style of decoration of flat gilding (above photograph) laid over the dark blue ground color and then scratched through with lines to form patterns? It is so rare that when Adrian Sassoon first saw this type of decoration in the late 1980’s he was so un-familiar with it that he wondered if it was even authentic 18th century Sèvres decoration. Since then several pieces have emerged and a great example was bought by the Art Institute of Chicago. The greatest use of this technique was on the monumentally costly Toilet Service given by King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette of France in 1782 to the Crown Princess of Russia, Maria-Feodorovna who was travelling in Europe under the name of the ‘Comtesse du Nord’. On that trip they purchased great quantities of the finest furnishings in Paris, which along with the Toilet Service are still in the palace they were building at Pavlovsk, near St. Petersburg.

Private View (By invitation only) is on Wednesday, June 13 from 11am – 9pm. Public Opening Hours are: Thursday, June 14: 11am – 7pm. Friday, June 15: 11am – 7pm. Saturday, June 16: 11am – 7pm. Sunday, June 17: 11am – 6pm. Monday, June 18: 11am – 7pm. Tuesday June 19: 11am – 7pm. Wednesday June 20: 11am – 6pm.

Meet Michael Aram

June is molten month at Michael Aram worldwide. A few days ago, I caught up with the designer and we talked about his unique designs for the latest Molten Collection, how he continuously introduces a real sense of whimsicality in all of his pieces, his fondness for India, and more.

High End Weekly™: A lot of the pieces from the Molten Collection have a story behind them…

Michael Aram: The story behind the entire Molten Collection is one of craftsmanship. It’s a story I’ve been celebrating in my work for over 23 years now. The Molten collection was first introduced in 2001. We’ve just updated it and added fresh functionalities. Even though the result feels like an absolutely new and surprising collection to people, we still use the same exact technique in making it.

Michael Aram. Photo credit: Janette Pellegrini/Getty Images North America

To achieve the beaded edges, our master craftsmen melt a long rod of stainless steel with an argon welder to create individual welds which are placed around the rim, one by one, drop by drop. The result is that no two pieces are ever exactly alike. If you look closely from one object to the next, you can see the slightly unique style that each welder has. They have what I like to call the “maker’s mark”, where each piece reflects the art of the craftsman that created it.

HEW: A few years back, I remembered reading somewhere that you spend most of your time in India. Is that still the case today?

MA: I spend a great amount of my time in India. I consider India as much my home as I do New York. I still divide my time between the two homes. I’m there about 4 to 6 times a year, though the trips are a little shorter these days thanks to my baby twins that aren’t ready for a 16 hour flight just yet! No matter where I am in the world, India is a daily and inherent part of my life. It influences everything I do. It’s not just where I work or manufacture. It’s a culture that has been infused into how I look at the world. I have friends and a full life over there. I’ve even learned to speak Hindi…spotty and improper maybe, but I do it.

HEW: Tell me about who or what inspires you the most when it comes to your latest collection?

MA: In New Molten, it is definitely the craft that drives my passion for the design. I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of transforming the “industrial” into something beautiful. New Molten is exactly that. These body shapes are simple and clean, timeless yet ancient. The thing is, they’re made by classic hand forging…metal shears, hammer, anvil. The beads along the edge are just simple welds. The difference is that they aren’t being placed there to fuse two pieces of metal together for some functional reason…they’re being placed there as a celebration of the weld itself, the idea that one of the hardest metals in the world can be coaxed into a fluid form and turned into a delicate and beautiful detail. That process is magical to me and inspires everything we do. It’s not expressed anywhere as purely as it is in the Molten Collection.

HEW: What is your personal taste in design, and how does it influence your own work?

MA: I like to collect objects from all over the world, especially objects that really mean something to me. To me, that object, whether it’s an antique clock, or a tribal sculpture, becomes my world. When I bring these pieces into my home, it’s important to me that they have their own space that’s clean and minimal so it can be appreciated and celebrated. When I’m designing my pieces, I follow that same practice. Even though the motifs are expressed as collections, I design the pieces one at a time, where the object becomes my sole focus and for that moment, nothing else exists outside of it.

HEW: What has been one of the most memorable experiences of your career?

MA: I would say travelling to India in 1989 and really discovering what would become my calling. Additionally, my Personal Appearances are always memorable to me, each for a different reason. I really enjoy sitting down and meeting with the people who collect my work. There’s something so joyful about having that one on one and learning of their lives, stories, and special occasions.

HEW: Your flagship store in the Chelsea is so beautiful, and I love shopping there. What was the concept behind the design? (The store location is considered Chelsea.)

MA: Since it’s a 19th century carriage house, the building already had so much character to it. We worked with architect, James Harb, to honor that history and original design while trying to capture some of the spirit behind my style and inspiration. Many of the elements you see are original…the rafters, the loading stage, the floor planks. On top of that we infused a scheme that had the slightly dark and brooding undercurrent in a lot of my work…slightly gothic, in a childlike way. That space actually gave rise to our entire brand image.

HEW: My husband and I received your cat and mouse serving bowl from a friend, when we were getting married a few years ago. We both loved the whimsical and humorous side of the object. Do you believe that most of your work reflects the whimsical side of things?

MA: What a blast from the past! I purposely designed the bowl so that the cat was perched on the top, while the mice sneakily hid underneath so that the cat wouldn’t find them. I do try to use whimsicality in all of my pieces. In some collections, it is a little more apparent than others, but even in my ‘organic’ collections, I try to highlight the unexpected and often overlooked details.

HEW: What is trendy in tableware and metal objects right now?

MA: Entertaining has become a space for self expression. People aren’t really willing to be told what is formal and what is casual. Tableware is more freeform than ever before. It’s become about the formalization of casual and the casualization of formal. It’s a mix of materials, mix of styles, mix of activities, mix of environments. Whether it’s indoors or out, people want it to be fiercely stylish and show a sense of individuality. Whether it’s metal, porcelain, crystal, wood or even paper, the objects need to make a statement.

OF NOTE:

Michael Aram is running a promotion for the entire month of June. During Molten Month, all Michael Aram purchases of $150 or more in the month of June will receive a free gift with purchase: the New Molten Mini Frame. The gift with purchase promotion is available online at michaelaram.com, as well as in-store, (participating stores will be listed on his website). To further celebrate the New Molten collection they are launching a “My Perfect Dinner Party’ contest on the newly activated Michael Aram Pinterest channel, beginning today, June 4th.

Objects of Desire at The Joan Mirviss Gallery

The Joan Mirviss Gallery introduces Five Leading Japanese Women in Ceramics

Raise your hands if you love Asian art as much as I do. The ubber cool Japanese gallery, Joan Mirviss will hold their seminal exhibit by highlighting Japan’s foremost female ceramic artists and calligrapher.

Sakurai Yasuko

The exhibit – The French Connection: Five Japanese Women Ceramists and a Passion for France” Guided by the Brush”, will take place on Thursday, June 7th until Friday, August 3rd, 2012. The gallery is located at 39 East 78th Street, New York City.

Japan’s five renowned female ceramic artists and the country’s leading calligrapher and painter (she’s 99 years of age!) are the heroines of a ground-breaking exhibit that pairs Japan’s most significant art mediums-ceramic and calligraphy-in the hands of women and illustrates their worldwide success in two male-dominated fields. Each theme will explore the dramatic rise and importance of Japanese women who traditionally played a subservient role in these art forms. These women have become celebrated artists by freeing themselves from the traditional and restrictive society in Japan where women have traditionally been denied the freedom to chose a career and express their artistic side. While augmenting their studies in clay in France, these five sculptors, who have now liberated their unique artistic voices, are Futamura Yoshimi, Katsumata Chieko, Nagasawa Setsuko, Ogawa Machiko, and Sakurai Yasuko. In addition to the art of clay, the exhibit examines creativity and independence in Japanese calligraphy and painting through the eyes of the doyenne of Japanese Abstract Expressionism. Pioneering new forms and shapes in clay and on paper, these remarkable women have established themselves in the global art market as a reflection of the movement and changes occurring in Japanese art and society over the past three generations.

Katsumata Chieko

Ogawa Machiko

Sakurai Yasuko

Given the formality within the ceramic tradition in Japan, the relative openness pervasive in the French art world and its lack of gender bias held the allure of freedom for many Japanese women artists. The five Japanese women participating in this show have received classical training in clay but developed their craft through studies in France. Each artist sought to make France a major central component in her artistic evolution and life, which in turn has ultimately led to international recognition.

These women artists are masters of their medium and confront tradition yet expose the very nature of clay, exploiting its flexibility and suppleness in arresting ways-using clay as a way to flaunt the limitations of their medium or defy it altogether. As a result, they are at the vanguard of the development of Japanese ceramics in what is certainly one of the richest and most diverse periods in its long history. These groundbreaking ceramists whose works are featured in this exhibition stand on the world stage, with their work entering major museum collections across the globe.

About Joan Mirviss: Ms. Mirviss is a distinguished expert in Japanese art, specializing in prints, paintings, screens and ceramics for more than thirty-five years. She is the leading Western dealer in the field of modern and contemporary Japanese ceramics and from her eponymous gallery on Madison Avenue she exclusively represents the top Japanese clay artists. As a widely published and highly respected specialist in her field, Joan Mirviss has advised and built collections for many museums, major private collectors and corporations.

For more images on the exhibition, please visit us on www.facebook/highendweekly.