Sakaegi Masatoshi 栄木正敏 (1944-2019) channeled the surreal qualities of porcelain and celadon glaze to evoke the beauty in natural phenomena. In his work, thick celadon glaze appears to seep from angular, pure white porcelain forms, like fresh spring water emerging from stone. At first glance, his pieces feel both elemental and architectural: grounded in nature and shaped by human design.

Deeply influenced by Shinto shrines nestled within the Japanese landscape perched beside lakes, hidden in forests, or high in the mountains. Water, which is central to a purification ritual of visiting a shrine and offering a prayer, has become a central conceptual anchor in his work, linking ceramic form with nature and spiritual experiences. Sakaegi recalled these sacred rituals not as relics of a spiritual past, but as living, contemporary experiences, seeking to express this in his designs.

This series, titled Surface Tension, takes its name from a natural and physical property of water: the cohesive force that allows the surface of a liquid to support light objects (like paper or pond skaters) without breaking. Sakaegi captures this delicate equilibrium through thick, viscous celadon glazes that suspend a dripping motion in form and color. The glaze becomes sculptural in itself, enhancing the organic feel of each piece, resulting in works that are meditative and carry a calming presence.

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Artist's CV

1944 Born in Asahi city Chiba Prefecture, Japan
1965 Graduated from Musashino Art University
1966 Started working at Ceramic Company
1969 Became an assistant at Aida Yusuke Kenkyujyo
1970 Works as a part-time potter in small workshop
1972 Received the Good Design Award
1973 Founded Ceramic Company called Ceramic Japan
1977 The 5th Won the Five Kunii Kitaro Industrial Craft Award
1982 Exhibition“Today Vessels-Pouring” at The National Museum of Modern Tokyo Art, JAPAN
1985 Exhibition“A Panorama of Contemporary Art in Japan－Design of Daily Life” at The Museum of Prefectural Museum of Modern Art, Toyama
1986 Grand Prix, The 16th Valencia International Industrial Design Competition SPAIN
1989 35 pieces selected of the MITI G Mark
1990 The Excellent　prize in the contemporary ceramic sculpture in japan
1993 Exhibition “Modern Ceramics, Vessel－Conception at the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama JAPAN”
1995 The Silver Prize at the International Ceramic Competition `95Mino JAPAN. (`98 Bronze Prize)
1996 Won for MITI G Long life Prize at JAPAN.
1997 Exhibit in the” Ten Designers from the World” of 50thAnniversary Faenza International Ceramic Art Exhibition ’97 , ITALY
1998 Invited to exhibit in the International Design Exhibition “SINN&FORM”
International Design Center, Berlin GERMANY
1998 AZIMUTS International Biennial Design Festival at Saint-Etienne, FRANCE.
1999 Exhibition in “Expression with Glaze and Beauty of Ceramic art”
SHIGARAKI Ceramics Cultural Park. Shiga JAPAN
2000 “The VIVA 20C-Design(Japan Design Committee) MATUYA、Ginza JAPAN2001
International Design “STAND DER DINGE” at the Museum of applied art, Koln GERMANY
2001 Silver Prize in the 1th Word Ceramic Biennale Exhibition KOREA
2002 Invited to exhibit in the Inaugural Exhibition１“The Legacy of Modern Ceramic” at Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu. JAPAN
2003 Vice Director of the Japan Craft Design Association.
The 2th Word Ceramic Biennial Exhibition“2003 Ceramic House” Ichon KOREA
One-man Exhibition “Possibility of Masatoshi SAKAEGI Ceramic Design” at Design Museum of International Design Center.　Nagoya JAPAN
2004 One-man Exhibition “Masatoshi SAKAEGI”DESGIN at SETO City Museum JAPAN
2005 Project Exhibition “DESGIN &TOOL” (Design Gallery1953 Japan Design Committee、MATUYA Ginza ) JAPAN
International Exchange Ceramic Exhibition of Korea China Japan. Seoul KOREA
Dec. Published to “Masatoshi　SAKAEGI Tableware of Now” (M&S Publishing)
2006“The Quintessence of Modern Japanese Ceramics” IBARAGI Ceramic Art Museum ，JAPAN
2007 4th Word Ceramic Biennial 2007 Exhibition (Ichon KOREA)
2008 International Design Casa “NAGOYA Design 2008, Torino ITALY
The 8th International Ceramics Competition MINO, TAGIMI JAPAN
2009 Exhibition “Ceramic Vessels and Form2” CHIGARAKI Ceramics Cultural Park JAPAN
2010 Introduction at honor professor of Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music
2011 One-man Exhibition ”Ceramic Design of SAKAEGI Masatoshi－Rhythm and Waves, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo JAPAN
Exhibition “Beauty in All Thing－Japanese Art and Design” NZ. Museum of Arts & Design (USA)
Semi-Grand prix Creativity Award in the 2011 Taipei World Expo-Int`l Craft Design Exhibition (TAIWAN）