Press Release

Hideaki Miyamura

The Harrison Gallery will present a show of pottery by Hideaki Miyamura from October 4 – 30, 2007.

Hideaki Miyamura has built his reputation as a master ceramist on his distinctively shaped vases  -- with round or teardrop shaped bottoms and tall thin elegant necks – and his unique glazes with stunning iridescence and a mesmerizing sense of three dimensional depth.

Born in Japan where he was surrounded by the traditions of the porcelain arts, Miyamura apprenticed in his homeland with the world renowned Shurei Miura. As an apprentice for six years he made more than 10,000 test pieces. Later he discovered an entirely new glaze that became his contribution to the art of porcelain glazes and the touchstone of his career. Because of its remarkable crystalline surface Miyamura called his new glaze by a name that translates into "stars glistening in a night sky".

His work sometimes has a sleek metallic look - it may be matte finish or shiny or, amazingly, it may be a matte finish on top and shiny on the bottom. Miyamura is amused when people assume his ceramic pieces are made of metal or glass, but he is also proud of the years of perseverance spent in acquiring the skills that make such a trompe l'oeill effect possible.

Less likely to be confused with metalwork are the beautiful colored crystalline glazes in white, blue or yellow that grow in the fire of the kiln into crystals resembling flowers, shells or even fireworks adorning the smooth and finely crafted shapes.

The shapes of Miyamura's porcelains are based on his interpretation of simple, classical forms. He is very conscious of how a form interacts with the space … how it coexists with its surroundings. His goal is to create pieces that evoke a feeling of inner peace and tranquility.

America's preeminent ceramist, Brother Thomas Bezanson paid Miyamura the highest compliment when he wrote about discovery being one of the noblest delights of the human spirit.  "One can hardly look at the work of Miyamura without feeling that delight.  There is sheer joy in every piece and joy belongs to the process before it belongs to the product."

Miyamura has exhibited at the Pucker Gallery in Boston, the Smithsonian Institution in D.C., the Ayumi Gallery in Tokyo and the Kunst Gallerie in Vienna, Austria. His works are in the permanent collections of the Auckland Institute and Museum, New Zealand, the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian, the Springfield Museum of Fine Art, MA and the Sackler Museum, Harvard University.