Isezaki Jun 伊勢崎淳 b. 1936

Selected Public Collections

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Brooklyn Museum

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Portland Art Museum, Oregon

British Museum, UK

Victoria & Albert Museum, UK

Musée Cernuschi, Paris

Miho Museum

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Ibaraki

Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo

Musee Tomo, Tokyo

The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo

The National Museum of Art, Osaka

The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

Higashi Hiroshima City Museum of Art, Hiroshima

 

Full Biography

1936 Born in Inbe, Okayama prefecture

1959 Graduated from Fine Art program at School of Education, Okayama University

             Studied ceramics with his brother Mitsuru Isezaki under his father, Yozan Isezaki

1960 Taught in Bizen High school

1961 Father passed away in February. 

             Built Anagama kiln with his brother Conducted the first firing and two-person exhibitions in Tokyo, Nagoya & Osaka.  Participated in the 8th Japan Traditional Crafts Competition

1964 Solo exhibition, Ginza Matsuya Department Gallery, Tokyo

1965 Solo exhibition, Ginza Matsuya Department Gallery, Tokyo

1966 Became an official member of Japan Crafts Association

1971 Traveled in Europe

1972 Solo exhibition, Isetan Department Gallery, Shinjuku Tokyo (holds exhibitions annually hereafter)

1973 Solo exhibition, Hankyu Department Gallery, Osaka (holds exhibitions annually hereafter)

1975 “Bizen: 1000 years” Exhibition sponsored by Mainichi Newspaper

1976 “Japanese ceramics: Bizen & Hagi” exhibition sponsored by Tokyo Newspaper, Goto Museum, Tokyo

1978 Became a lecturer in Art program, School of Education, Okayama Univ.

1979 Traveled in the U.S.

1981 Received Kaneshige Koyo Award

Invited artist to “Contemporary Japanese Ceramics” exhibition, National History Museum, China

1982 Traveled in India

Invited artist to “Contemporary Japanese Ceramics” exhibition, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1983 Invited artist to “the First Japan Traditional Crafts selected work exhibition” sponsored by Mainichi Newspaper

1984 The 25th Anniversary exhibition, Tenmanya, Okayama

1985 Created Wall piece for the 100 year anniversary of Seishin Shool, commissioned by the school (13x 3m)

1986 Participated in “Kazuo Yagi: Contemporary Ceramic Exhibition”

1987 Won a prize in “Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition” Tabe Museum

1989 Created Wall piece commissioned by Kobe Business College (3x3m)

1992 Created wall piece commissioned by Okayama municipal Sanyo Hospital (10x 2.8 m)

1993 Received Okayama Culture Encouragement Award

1995 Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Gallery, Nihonbashi, Tokyo

1996 Received Cultural Award in Sanyo (Western Japan) Region

1997 “Bizen ware: Traditional beauty of 1000 years”, France National Ceramic Art)

1998 Became a trustee & Chairperson of Chugoku area division of Japan Crafts Association

Honored as Important Treasure in Okayama 

Solo exhibition, Mitsukoshi Department Gallery, Nihonbashi Tokyo; Tenmanya, Okayama

2004     Designated as Living National Treasure

             The Charm of Bizen, Ibaraki Prefectural Ceramic Art Museum, Ibaraki.

2005The book Bizen: Radiance of Clay and Beauty, Jun Isezaki published

from Sanyo Shinmbun Co.

2006  The Quintessence of Modern Japanese Ceramics, Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Ibaraki.

             Living National Treasure, traveled throughout Japan, including NHK.

Contemporary Clay: Japanese Ceramics for the New Century

Japan Society, New York, (September 2006 – January 2007)

2007     Celebrating Fifty Years of the Japan Traditional Art Crafts, the British Museum

2008Far East Meets West, Galerie Marianne Heller, Heidelberg, Germany.

2011     Solo exhibition in Heidelberg, Germany

2012     Solo exhibition titled “Listening to the Voice of the Earth” at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi

2013     4-men Living National Treasure Exhibition in London, UK