TOKYO.- Ceramics often make up the form of a vessel, hence, are associated with objects for everyday use. However, when it comes to the field of contemporary ceramic artworks, these can be observed as a three-dimensional form, even when the work is reminiscent of a vessel. With the existence of materials, techniques, and traditions surrounding ceramics, contemporary ceramic artworks may have been the result of artists, each exploring their self-expression. KIKUCHI Tomo (1923-2016), the founder of Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum, began collecting the late 20th century Japanese contemporary ceramic artworks, as she was fascinated by these enigmatic philosophies and sense of beauties. In 1983, she organized “Japanese Ceramics Today – Masterworks from the Kikuchi Collection” which was on view at the Thomas M. Evans Gallery of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., U.S., and in that same year, traveled to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, U.K. This exhibition shed light on ceramic works by Japanese artists who were, at that time, in their forties and fifties. The fact that an exhibition introducing Japanese culture was accepted in the midst of the Japan-U.S. trade conflicts led Tomo to realize the significance of cultural exchange and became further committed to encouraging the exploration of Japanese contemporary ceramics.

The exhibition, “Encouragement of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics Kikuchi Collection” includes various Japanese contemporary ceramic artworks from around the 1970s to the 1980s, some of which were included in the “Japanese Ceramics Today” Exhibition in 1983.

The Events Leading up to the Establishment of Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum

• Kikuchi Tomo’s Encounter with Ceramics

Tomo’s encounter with ceramics was in the early 1940s, during World War II. She witnessed how clay was thrown into the flames and re-emerged as a new form, which left a striking impression on Tomo. Roughly 10 years after the war, Tomo began collecting ceramics.

Originally, she started interacting with masters and specialists of tea ceremony, which deepened her interest in various antiques, including ceramics. This led her to become fascinated with the enigmatic beauties of contemporary ceramics. Tomo did not remain just a collector, as she eventually opened a gallery to share this fascination.

• The Opening of a Contemporary Ceramic Gallery, Kandori

In 1974, Tomo opened a contemporary ceramic gallery called Kandori in the lobby of Hotel New Otani in Tokyo. For the first commemorative solo exhibition, Tomo asked FUJIMOTO Yoshimichi, a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts at the time. Through Fujimoto, many young ceramists from the Tokyo University of the Arts were introduced at Kandori gallery. This gallery gradually introduced other ceramists from all over Japan. In 1979, Kandori gallery set up a stand in Bloomingdale’s, a department store in New York, which led Tomo to cross paths with the curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural

• "Japanese Ceramics Today,” an Exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution

Tomo was invited to hold a Japanese contemporary ceramics exhibition in the Thomas M. Evan Gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History from February 11th to April 3rd, 1983. This exhibition was titled “Japanese Ceramics Today, Masterworks from the Kikuchi Collection.” All of the works for the exhibition were from Tomo’s collection. Comprised of approximately 300 works created by roughly 100 Japanese artists, half of them were in their forties and fifties. In the same year, from May 18th to July 17th, this exhibition traveled to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, U.K. This exhibition introduced Japanese contemporary ceramics to the people of the U.S. and the U.K. The fact that an exhibition introducing Japanese culture was accepted in the midst of the Japan-U.S. trade conflicts led Tomo to realize the significance of cultural exchange. Additionally, during the exhibition at the Smithsonian Museum, she met their exhibition designer, Richard MOLINAROLI, and learned that the design of the exhibition space greatly influenced the artworks on display.

• Three Exhibitions Held at the Kikuchi Guest House

Back in Japan, Tomo decided to organize exhibitions where the space was created by the artworks and by how the artworks were displayed. To hold three separate exhibitions, she used the Kikuchi Guest House, which lies on the same premises as where Tomo Museum stands. The Kikuchi Guest House was originally used by Tomo’s father, KIKUCHI Kanjitsu, but after his death, it was used as a guest house. Tomo commissioned Richard Molinaroli to design the space for these three exhibitions, and he designed spaces that were drastically different to fit the context of each exhibition. The first exhibition, titled “Ryuryo Tensho,” was on works by SUZUKI Osamu (b. 1934, a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property, in the field of Shino) in 1985. The second exhibition, titled “Tenmon,” was on RAKU Kichizaemon XV (b.1949), a member of the Raku family and an inheritor of an over 400-year- long family tradition of ceramic tea bowl making. The third exhibition, titled “Tokayoen” was on works by FUJIMOTO Yoshimichi (1919-1992, a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property in the field of Iroejiki-a porcelain with overglaze enamels) in 1992. This exhibition took place in March and Fujimoto passed away in May 1992. This exhibition was a compilation of his great works that allowed viewers to intimately imagine how Fujimoto faced life.

• The Opening of Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum

Following the death of Tomo’s eldest brother in 1995, Tomo inherited many roles and operations, including becoming the CEO of Keiyo Gas Co., Ltd., where the headquarters is in Ichikawa City, Chiba prefecture. Despite the change, Tomo continued to explore creating a suitable space to present contemporary ceramic artworks through the experience she gained by organizing the three exhibitions at the Kikuchi Guest House. She started the Kikuchi Foundation and established the Kikuchi Kanjitsu Memorial Tomo Museum in 2003. Tomo again asked Richard Molinaroli to design the museum exhibition space. With over 20 years of trust between Tomo and Richard, he successfully completed this mission to design the exhibition space.