FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEClassical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty
Hori Ichirō
September 17 – October 15, 2021
Asia Week New YorkFor his first solo exhibition outside of Japan, Hori Ichirō has created enticing and highly
original vessels exclusively for his New York debut at Joan B Mirviss LTD. Opening
during Asia Week New York this September, Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty isGray Shino vessel
2020
Glazed stoneware
16 1/2 x 15 x 11 3/4 in.

the culmination of the gallery's two-year long series showcasing the extraordinary rangeof ceramics produced in the historic Mino region of Japan. Mino is at the heart of both
Japan's longstanding clay tradition and that tradition's most innovative interpretations.
Hori exemplifies the best in Japanese ceramic artistry, as he is rooted in classical styles
while bringing them forward with a strikingly contemporary flair.
A self-described mountain man who lives in semi-seclusion, HORI Ichirō (b. 1952)
resides at his kiln compound isolated from modern life. His exceptionally powerful works
in a range of Mino styles, however, are by no means stuck in the past. From thick,crawling Shino glazes on swirling vessels to outstanding ki-seto works in restrained
yellows, he brings an exciting modern perspective to a venerable tradition.

Shino vessel
2020
Glazed stoneware
20 1/4 x 11 1/2 x 7 7/8 in.

Born into a ceramic-making family in Gifu, Hori Ichirō studied as a young man under
Living National Treasure, Katō Kōzō (b. 1935). In 1984, he built his own anagama(tunnel) kiln in the mountains of Mizunami City, where he continues to experiment withtraditional materials and techniques, producing pieces of great complexity and variety.
In 1997, he moved his workshop to Ōkusa and established a new compound with bothclimbing and tunnel kilns.
Known primarily in Japan for his dynamic wood-fired vessels and white and gray Shinoand Seto teabowls, Hori's distinctive forms result from long periods of contemplation.
He fires his kilns just twice a year, using long, low-heat firings to allow the clay’s deepreddish tone to emerge through the thick, creamy glazes. Aside from Shino and Seto

Ki-seto eared flower vase
2019
Glazed stoneware
10 x 4 1/2 x 4 1/4 in.

ware, Hori excels at black Seto glazing and the difficult ash-glazed ki-seto ware, in whicha pale yellow color is applied to a roughly textured surface. Using all the traditional stylesof Mino as his foundation, Hori's inner tension and strength emerges in clear, robust
forms.
"My inner feelings are expressed honestly and frankly as I shape and fire
my works. I prefer genuine, natural sentiments that are not flamboyant."

Hori Ichirō's works have been featured in museum exhibitions at the Asian ArtMuseum, San Francisco, CA; Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, HI; and Museum fürShino square covered box
2020
Glazed stoneware
4 1/4 x 7 1/4 in.

Ostasiatische Kunst, Berlin, Germany, among others. He is collected by several major
museums in the United States, including the Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN; Seattle
Art Museum, WA; San Antonio Museum of Art, TX; Crocker Museum of Art, CA; andCincinnati Art Museum, OH.
Classical Dignity, Contemporary Beauty: Hori Ichirō opens on September 17 and runs
through October 15, 2021. It will feature twenty new masterworks that showcase
Hori's innovative use of traditional Mino-style glazes and his command of firingtechniques.
ABOUT JOAN B MIRVISS LTD
With more than forty-five years of experience, Joan B. Mirviss is a pillar in the field ofJapanese art. As a dealer, scholar, curator, and advisor, she has been the driving force
championing the top Japanese clay artists, who she represents exclusively, and whoseworks she has placed in major museums around the globe. Widely published as a highly
respected expert, Mirviss has built many institutional and private collections ofJapanese art. JOAN B MIRVISS LTD exhibits modern and contemporary Japaneseceramics, ukiyo-e, and Japanese paintings from its exclusive Madison Avenue locationin New York City.
For more information, please contact us at 212-799-4021 or director@mirviss.com.

Gray shino teabowl
2020
Glazed stoneware
3 7/8 x 5 x 4 1/4 in.