Kiyomizu Rokubei VIII 八代 清水六兵衛 b. 1954

The celebrated line of Kiyomizu ceramicists and sculptors is now in its eighth generation, with Kiyomizu producing avant-garde ceramics influenced heavily by architectural forms. His minimalist and geometric styles are informed both by his heritage- from the Cubist sensibilities of Rokubei VII- as well as his own background studying architecture and ceramics in Tokyo and Kyoto. Rokubei VIII’s works mimic industrial materials, such as iron or steel, reminiscient of modernist material-centric movements in America such as the Process-Art movement pioneered by artists such as Richard Serra. Though his works mimic the materials of found-art, the ceramic objects he produces are filled with labour-intensive ceramic processes that transcend its own material constitution. Intermateriality as the hallmark of the 8th generation of Kiyomizu ceramics is a fascinating evolution of modernist sculpture in Japan.