Sakai Hiroshi has pursued his own artistic expressions in Shino wares by integrating traditional and innovative techniques with his aesthetic tastes. Since completing courses at the Tajimi City Ceramic Design Research Center in Gifu, he continued his studies with Kato Kozo (b. 1935), named a Living National Treasure. While Sakai’s use of kairagi--the sharply textured hallmark glaze of Shino wares, pays homage to his respected master, he developed his own distinct coloring using blue zaffer, perfecting the “indigo Shino” glaze. The combination of exquisitely rendered shades of indigo with the crackled kairagi surfaces on his boldly designed vessels are highly regarded both in and outside of Japan.
The artist has also been a frequent participant in international ceramic competitions and exhibitions in Faenza, Italy, Taiwan, and Korea. His works are represented in collections such as the Tajimi Mino Pottery Museum in Japan, the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, Italy, and the World Ceramic Exposition Foundation in Korea.
Selected Public Collections
British Museum | London, UK
Auckland Museum | New Zealand
National Museum of Modern Art | Tokyo, Japan
Kyushu Ceramic Museum | Arita, Saga, Japan
Museum of Ceramic Art | Sasayama, Hyogo, Japan