There is little doubt that Japanese ceramics of the twentieth century will be remembered as one of the great traditions of ceramic making. An extraordinary number of artists developed highly individual styles, producing work of remarkable technical and artistic sophistication. Several factors contributed to this flourishing: the weight of a long and respected history, rigorous training that balanced discipline with experimentation, and a marketplace that rewarded both innovation and mastery. These elements are clearly visible in the work of Kawamoto Goro (1919–1986) who was a distinctive ceramic artist of the postwar period.
Images of Kawamoto Goro in his studio space.
Born in Seto, Aichi Prefecture—one of the celebrated Rokkoyō (Six Old Kilns) with a thousand-year history of pottery production—Kawamoto was immersed in ceramic culture from the beginning. He studied design at the Aichi Ceramics School and the Kyoto City Ceramics Research Institute before military service interrupted his education. In 1950, at the age of thirty-one, he was adopted by the noted Seto potter Kawamoto Rekitei (1894–1975), from whom he inherited both name and legacy. Rekitei, the third generation of the Kawamoto family, was renowned for his Seto-Sōmetsuke porcelain, decorated in cobalt underglaze with motifs rooted in the literati painting (bunjinga) tradition.
Three works by Kawamoto Goro showing his various styles. Browse available works by the artist here.
While Kawamoto Goro initially continued this family practice, his own artistic language soon diverged. After the Second World War, Kawamoto's painted designs expanded beyond conventional motifs of flora and birds to include dragons, spirits, and human figures depicted with wit, satire, and often humor—subjects rarely encountered on porcelain. Just as radical was his approach to form: Rejecting the potter’s wheel, which he viewed as a tool for standardized production, Kawamoto embraced slab construction. The inherent risks of distortion and warping in slab-formed porcelain became, in his hands, opportunities: he incorporated such irregularities into the character of his works, creating vessels defined by their angularity and dynamic presence.
Ash glazed jar by Kawamoto Goro. Browse available works by the artist here.
Ash glazed jar by Kawamoto Goro. Browse available works by the artist here.
By merging the refinement of Seto’s porcelain tradition with a daringly experimental sensibility and experimental mindset, Kawamoto developed a body of work that was both rooted in history and unmistakably original. His ceramics embody a spirit of independence and defiance of convention that resonates strongly with contemporary audiences. The 2023 exhibition Kawamoto Goro: Rebellious Ceramics at the Kikuchi Tomo Museum of Art in Tokyo affirmed his enduring importance, presenting his oeuvre as a compelling example of how tradition and innovation intersect in twentieth-century Japanese ceramics.
Words by Dai Ichi Arts, LTD. – an adapted text from the writing of Kazuko Todate & Daniel McOwan from their contributing exhibition catalog essays, August 2025
