Blog

Lacey McKinney: Reconfiguration is currently on view at the Everson. In her paintings, collages, and cyanotypes, McKinney explores the power of images to construct—and subvert—identity. McKinney recently took some time to answer five questions about her work. Read More

Vanessa German (b. 1976) is a visual and performance artist and activist based in Homewood, a neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Self-described as a “citizen artist,” German creates work that explores the transformative capabilities of art (and by extension, love). Read More

Mishima Kimiyo (b. 1932) is a prolific contemporary, sculptural ceramist currently living and working in Osaka, Japan. She is known for her ecocritical analysis of media and material consumption. Mishima began her artistic career as a painter, but quickly switched to working with clay. In interviews, Mishima states that she felt motivated to create ceramics because clay was more suitable to interrupting discourses on materialism and directly engaging with the viewer. Read More

Nakamura Kimpei (b. 1935) has a strong family connection to ceramics reaching back to the Meiji era. Born in the town of Kanazawa, which is best known for its sixteenth-century castle for feudal lords of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Nakamura grew up in an old, wealthy home surrounded by artwork and pottery from the past. Nakamura’s great-grandfather, a Meiji-period industrialist, avidly collected tea ceremony ceramics, while his grandfather and father were potters of significant renown. Kanazawa wares were known for their focus on exquisite craftsmanship and respect for the material. Read More

Yanagihara Mutsuo (b. 1934) is a prominent Japanese ceramist known for his graphic and bold use of color and form. He began his artistic career at the Kyoto City University of the Arts, receiving a bachelor’s degree in 1958 and a master’s degree in 1960, studying with Kenkichi Tomimoto. Initially, Yanagihara pursued graphic design, but he later switched to ceramics after working with Tomimoto. In the 1950s and 1960s, Tomimoto and Yanagihara were two of many artists challenging accepted ceramic traditions in Kyoto. Read More