KNOXVILLE, TN.- The Knoxville Museum of Art presents the groundbreaking work of Jun Kaneko, one of America ’s leading ceramic sculptors, August 24 – November 11. Kaneko, born in 1942, is internationally known for his monumental forms that combine the ceramic traditions of his native Japan with dazzling glaze patterns influenced by American abstract painting.

The Omaha, Nebraska-based artist’s smooth, elegant sculptures take the forms of oval plates and colossal heads, as well as tall rounded shapes called “dangos.” Some weigh more than 1,000 pounds and stand seven feet tall. He is the first artist to attempt to create such large-scale ceramic forms.

David Butler , executive director of the Knoxville Museum of Art, notes that this is one of the more complicated exhibit installations the museum has seen in awhile. “The size and weight of some of the sculptures are massive. We have to use extra braces under the pieces to try to distribute the weight to a wider area,” he said. “As the first stop in a 10-city tour, we’ve had to work out a number of technical issues, but feel fortunate to be able to bring Knoxville such spectacular and innovative ceramics.”

The exhibit is sponsored by Jewelry Television and the Japan Foundation. Media sponsors include AT&T Real Yellow Pages, WBIR, Method Bureau, and digital media graphix. The exhibition is courtesy of Jun Kaneko and is organized by Smith Kramer Fine Art Services, Kansas City , Missouri.