Matsuzaki Ken 松崎 健
H11.5 × Dia 9.8 cm
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Born in Tokyo in 1950, Matsuzaki Ken is a celebrated Mashiko potter known for his dynamic brushwork and mastery of iron, white clay slip, and other glazes on Mashiko clay. He began studying ceramics at 16 and, after graduating from Tamagawa University’s College of Arts, moved to Mashiko to pursue his career. From 1972 to 1977, he apprenticed under Shimaoka Tatsuzo, a fellow Tokyo-born potter and a key figure in the Mingei movement. During this time, Matsuzaki developed his own artistic style, incorporating expressive pictorial and calligraphic motifs on functional Mingei vessels.
Deeply committed to the philosophy of studio pottery, Matsuzaki primarily utilizes wood firing, allowing natural ash deposits to enhance his surfaces with rich textures and depth. His work is internationally recognized, with pieces housed in major museum collections, including the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Through his innovative yet tradition-rooted approach, Matsuzaki continues to shape the legacy of Mashiko pottery and the global appreciation of Mingei aesthetics.