Shio Kusaka's ceramics at David Zwirner
Shio Kusaka - Jomon study 8 - 2021
From 23 March to 30 April 2022, David Zwirner presents an exhibition of ceramic works by Japanese artist Shio Kusaka.
Source: David Zwirner Gallery. Image: Shio Kusaka, "Jomon study 8", 2021.
Born in Morioka in 1972, Shio Kusaka studied at the University of Washington before moving to Los Angeles, where she has lived for 20 years. The exhibition is the artist's first at David Zwirner Gallery, which has represented her since 2020. In a press release, the gallery states that "known for her playful and open approach to the medium, as well as her characteristic line work and intuitive sense of color, Kusaka crafts vessels that embrace organic imperfections, recurrent techniques and patterns, and imagery that alludes to historical and contemporary forms."
The gallery delves into the artist's creative process, and how this manifests itself in the works: "In her ceramics, which are often made in distinct series, Kusaka articulates unique forms and produces complex designs with a heightened emphasis on difference and repetition, bringing awareness to poetic irregularities. Her work rewards close observation, which reveals layered intricacies and optical qualities through subtle shifts in glazing or decoration. The motifs she combines and recontextualizes—including wood grain and fruit textures, and her children’s infatuation with dinosaurs and other animals—are all influenced by her daily life. Process-oriented titles, composed of terms such as “carved” or “line” followed by a number, reveal the tactility of Kusaka’s work."

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