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Biography

森山寛二郎 Kanjiro
Moriyama
Kanjiro
Moriyama

Kai (Turn) VII
H92 × W53 × D56 cm / H36.2 × W20.8 × D22 in
Kanjiro
Moriyama
Profile
  • 1984 Born in Koishiwara, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
  • 2007 Saga University / Lives and works in Koishiwara
  • 01 Exhibitions More
  • 02 Awards More
  • 03 Public Collections More

About
the Artist
About
the Artist

The idyllic kiln site of Koishiwara is a traditional Mingei folk pottery, tucked away from view in the gentle foothills of Kyushu. Yet from this sleepy locale comes forth the riveting abstract sculptures of Kanjiro Moriyama (b. 1984 –), an artist who embraces the clay of his hometown, yet with a penchant for the avant-garde. There is a purity to his lines and curves, a visceral elegance that speaks volumes of the nature of the artist himself. Much like his work, the youthful Moriyama is a juxtaposition of many elements; at once starry-eyed and innocent, yet possessing an aesthetic wisdom beyond his years; extraordinarily humble, yet brimming with sculptural confidence.

He is many things, and that is why Moriyama has quickly become one of the forerunners of a new generation of emerging A Lighthouse called Kanata artists who push the boundaries of their materials and techniques to new heights, this prominence being recognized by acquisitions by 7 public collections while still in his mid-30’s. In particular, Moriyama is a pioneer in taking the humble potter’s wheel, a tool predominantly used for the mass production of vessel forms, and turning it into a viable means for abstraction, essentially deconstructing the pots he throws into dynamically oscillating silhouettes. With soaring new works that seemingly defy gravity, Moriyama’s singular aesthetics bring us a step closer to the heavens.