A large open sculpture from Kako Katsumi mounted on a wooden base and accompanied by a signed wooden placard titled Fukaku (wind enclosure), This sculptural work departs entirely from the logic of the vessel, presenting instead a self-contained, circulating structure—an object defined as much by the space it encloses as by the material that forms it. The work takes the form of a continuous, looping band, rising from a small point of contact and returning to it in a closed circuit. Its geometry is neither perfectly circular nor overtly angular; instead, it twists subtly as it ascends, producing a shifting profile that appears to turn in on itself. This quiet torsion gives the form a latent dynamism, as though shaped by an invisible current rather than fixed in a static pose. Mounted on a black plinth, the sculpture is lifted slightly from the ground, emphasizing its singular point of contact and reinforcing a sense of precarious balance. Across its surface, broad, curving motifs unfold in alternating fields of iron red and pale clay. These shapes are larger and more open than the dense arabesques seen in many of the artists other works. The surface bears the marks of making with unusual clarity. Cross-hatched tool marks, shallow cuts, and uneven planes remain visible, resisting refinement. Rather than being concealed, these traces contribute to the work’s presence, reinforcing the sense that the form has been shaped through pressure, repetition, and physical engagement. What is most striking is the role of the void. The interior opening is not incidental but central—an empty space held and defined by the surrounding band. As the viewer moves around the piece, this void shifts in shape, alternately expanding and compressing, becoming as active as the material itself. The sculpture measures 37.8 x 17 x 65 cm (15 x 7 x 26 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
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Kako Katsumi was born in Kyoto in 1965, and graduated the ceramics department of Saga Art College in 1986. He was selected for the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition, the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition and the Kyoten held at the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art in 1988, followed in 1989 by the National Ceramic Art Exhibition and Mino International Ceramics Exhibition. He has since exhibited and or been selected/ awarded many times at these prestigious events. He established his kiln in Nishiwaki City in 1991. In 1994 he worked in Melbourne. Australia, and would create a second kiln in 2001. In 2004 he would be awarded the Prize of Excellence at the Tanabe Museum of Art Modern Tea Forms exhibition. In 2005 he established his current kiln in Sasayama, Hyogo prefecture. In 2009 he his work was featured at the Kikuchi Biennale Exhibition and the following year was awarded at the 4th Contemporary Tea Bowls Exhibition, and in 2011 was selected for the influential Paramita Ceramic Exhibition. 2013 saw him in New York, and 2014 at the Museum of Ceramic Art in Hyogo (Kobe). Held in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art among others.
