28 To Watch/Kato Tsubusa in New York

One of Japan's leading art magazines is Gekkan Bijutsu (Monthly Art) that focuses on all genres. Every few years they publish a list of potter's to watch and some regular readers of e-y net may recall the 2001 list. For their last issue of 2005 the magazine made of new list of 28 young ceramic artists to surely keep one's eye on ('potters the market has an eye on now' Ima ichiba ga chumoku suru). I will add that two names were also on the 2001 list, those being Kondo Takahiro and Matsui Koyo (works of both currently being offered on www.japanesepottery.com). It was a real pleasure to also see on the new list Kako Katsumi, Tsujimura Yui and Mihara Ken! The whole list in the order they appeared in the magazine is: Ohi Toshio, Kondo Takahiro, Hayashi Kyosuke, Matsui Koyo, Aoki Ryuta, Akashi Hiroki, Uwataki Koichi, Uchida Koichi, Omae Satoru, Kako Katsumi, Kato Takahiro, Kaneshige Iwao, Kimura Nobuyuki, Sakaguchi Hiroshi, Sakurai Yasuko, Suzuki Tetsu, Tanahashi Jun, Tsujimura Yui, Terai Yoko, Tomioka Daisuke, Hashiguchi Nobuhiro, Fuji Takayuki, Mihara Ken, Miwa Hanako, Momota Akio, Morino Akito, Yamamoto Ryuichi and Wakao Kei. I may point out that except for the first four artists the list is in order of the Japanese 'alphabet.' In terms of age, four potters were born in the 1950s, 15 in the 60s and 9 in the 70s. Surely a list to watch with already a few names making a name for themselves overseas.

If you happen to be in the New York area, do stop by Dai Ichi Arts(249 E.48th St.) to see Kato Tsubusa's porcelain creations from Feb.7-March 4.