Itō Sekisui V, a 14th generation ceramic potter, was recognized for his work in mumyōi in 2003, when he was designated a Living National Treasure. Mumyōi is a reddish brown, ferric oxide clay extracted from gold mines native to Sado Island in Niigata prefecture, where the artist was born. After completing ceramic studies at Kyoto Technical University, Itō returned to Sado Island to experiment with mumyōi and create his signature aesthetic, red on black. Itō is known for neriage ware characterized by delicate patterns and created by layering and patching clay of different reddish brown tones. To bring out the vibrancy of the red, Itō does not apply glazes; rather, his firing technique, yōhen, uses different flame streams inside a wood-fired kiln. The areas directly hit by the flames create a black hue.
Itō says that the creator’s destiny is to, “Bring forth what has never existed, something new and attractive.” In 2005, he received the Medal with Purple Ribbon and in 2011, the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, from the Emperor of Japan.
Selected Exhibitions
—2024 Japan Traditional Kōgei Annual Exhibition, Japan
—2024 Living National Treasure Annual Exhibition, Japan
2015–2018 Asia Week, New York, US
2017 The 64th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition, Japan
2015 SOFA Chicago, Illinois, US Tradition Reborn: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics, Indianapolis Museum of Art, US
2007 Crafting Beauty in Modern Japan, British Museum, London, UK
Selected Awards
2004 The Special Award at a design competition for "Japan Plus", a government official bulletin for PR overseas
1998 The Niigata Nippon Cultural Award (Art Category)
1997 The Prince Takamatsu Memorial Award at the 44th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
1987 The Japan Ceramics Society Award
1985 The Grand Prize and Chichibunomiya Award at the 8th Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition
1980 The Incentive Award at the 20th East Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
The Incentive Award at the 27th Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition
Selected Public Collections
- Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York, US
- Art Institute of Chicago | Illinois, US
- Indianapolis Museum of Art | Indianapolis, Indiana, US
- Victoria and Albert Museum | London, UK
- Niigata Prefectural Museum of Modern Art | Nagaoka, Japan
- Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum | Ibaraki, Japan
- National Museum of Modern Art | Tokyo, Japan