Sharp and sophisticated form, colorful and metallic glaze, and the white porcelain that looks almost transparent when the light comes through – these are the characteristics of Ryota Aoki’s modern and unique work that also carries on the tradition of ceramics. “I want to make something beautiful that people have never seen,” says Aoki. He has researched on tens of thousands of test pieces of the glaze and uses his original technique to mix glaze with the porcelain clay, which is usually applied after first firing. He also uses materials such as gold, silver and platinum, trying to blend the sense of tradition and today. With his free –minded imagination, keen aesthetic sense and skill, Ryota Aoki continuously presents new works ranging from functional works and tea ceremony pieces to sculptures. Furthermore, he has made collaborative works with fashion and design, exploring the possibility of ceramic art and appealing widely.

［作家プロフィール］
Ryota Aoki was born in Toyama in 1978. He graduated from Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center in 2002, and he was invited to Ecole de arts Decoratifts in Switzerland as a research student. He currently lives and works in Toki, Gifu. He has received many prizes including Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award・Silver Award (2004, Austraria), International Triennial of Silicate Arts・Silver Award (2005, Hungary), Tableware festival・grand prix (2006), 4th World Ceramic Biennale 2007 Korea・Silver Award (2007, Korea), Taiwan International Ceramic Beiennale Special Prize (2008, Taiwan). He has held solo exhibitions in various places in Japan as well as abroad including New York and Los Angeles. He has also been active as a leader of ”IKEYAN☆”, the organization started by ceramic artists to promote the ceramic world. This is his third solo exhibition at Tomio Koyama Gallery.