THE ALLURE OF JAPANESE CONTEMPORARY CLAY
By: Joan B. Mirviss
Publisher: Mitsumura Suiko Shoin, Kyoto
ISBN 978-4-8381-0592-2
New York (November 2019). It is with great pleasure that we announce the publication of The Allure of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics by Joan B Mirviss. Subtitled for the Japanese market: “What only the Japanese do not understand about the truth in regards to Japanese modern clay art!", the book was written to awaken Japan to the extraordinary beauty, power and diversity of this art form that is NOW collected by over sixty museums in the US alone, the focus of countless exhibitions and passionately acquired by sophisticated collectors around the globe.
The need for this bilingual book became clear during a panel discussion held at the Gardiner Museum in Toronto in spring of 2018 between clay artist, KondoĢ Takahiro and Mirviss. The resulting book explores the historic, artistic, economic and social factors that have effectuated the booming interest abroad in contemporary Japanese ceramics, most particularly in the United States.
The publication includes more than one hundred illustrations of artwork and exhibitions in prominent American museums and the homes of private collectors who live with their ceramic collection on a daily basis. Reflecting on the state of the clay art field in Japan, Mirviss then focuses on twelve pioneering artists in the second section of the book, taking into consideration both their heritage and/or academic background as well as their genius for balancing tradition with innovation.
Released only in mid-October in Japan, over five hundred copies of The Allure of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics were sold within just two weeks.
The first Japanese review of this publication states:
"A very bold book on modern ceramic art has just been published. Perhaps it is only every 5 or 10 years that such a book arrives that both entertains and inspires ceramic lovers. This is the first essay about Japanese contemporary ceramics by a Western art dealer who is also a Japanese art historian. There is no doubt it will be well worth reading in order to learn the perspectives of an overseas expert."
- Yakimono-Plaza.com
The US book launch for The Allure of Japanese Contemporary Ceramics took place on November 5 in New York City. Anyone interested in purchasing a copy, interviewing the author, or obtaining more information on this publication is asked to contact director@mirviss.com or telephone 212-799-4021.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joan B. Mirviss is an expert and major dealer in Japanese art, specializing in ceramics, ukiyo-e prints and paintings for over forty years. In the area of modern and contemporary Japanese ceramic art, she has been the pioneering spirit and force behind this burgeoning area of collecting in the West. As the foremost Western dealer in this area, Mirviss exclusively represents the top Japanese clay artists. She has organized and mounted over eighty exhibitions of modern and contemporary Japanese ceramics at her New York gallery and international fairs, bringing the work of celebrated artists as well as hitherto unknown talents to the attention of the American public. Widely published and a highly respected specialist in her field, she has advised and built collections for many museums and private collectors.
Ms. Mirviss received her M.A. in Japanese art history from Columbia University, and has written books and articles on a wide range of Japanese art-related. Her clients include more than sixty museums throughout the world. There have been numerous articles written about her and her gallery including those published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times, Nikkei Asian Review, Architectural Digest, Kateigaho, and ARTnews.
