The Museum of Islamic Art invites everyone to admire the art of Raku Kichizaemon XV·Jikinyū, a famous Japanese ceramic artist. The exhibition will be open until 20 March 2023.
Raku ware is a type of Japanese pottery used in tea ceremonies. This hand-shaped tea ware is characterized by the use of black or red glazes. The red colour is the result of low firing temperatures and the removal of pieces from the kiln while still red hot. Raku is also the name of the Japanese family that has been producing the wares of this type since the mid-16th century. Raku Kichizaemon XV·Jikinyū is the 15th generation of the family.
In 2018, Raku went to Qatar where he visited the Brouq Nature Reserve and the Museum of Islamic Art. At the Qatar National Library he found inspiration in the poetry of Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Bin Thani, founder of Qatar. The whole trip, the people and culture of Qatar, inspired the artist to create a series of works that reflected sands and minerals from the Qatari desert.
At the show, fourteen ceremonial tea bowls are exhibited. According to Raku himself, these art pieces represent the land, desert, light and sea of old and new Qatar. They “contain” the nature and universe uniting Qatar and the hope and life that the Qatari embrace.
Raku Kichizaemon XV Jikinyū was born in 1949. After graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts in 1973, he continued his studies in Italy. In 1981, his father passed away, and the artist succeeded to the Raku family headship as Raku Kichizaemon XV.
In his art, he explores the possibilities of the traditional Raku ware format. Although he interprets this art form in quite a radical way from the concept point of view, he remains true to the roots. Creating his own noticeable visual language, he achieves sculptural modeling by bold trimming and uses the yakiniku firing method.
To get more information, please visit the official webpage of the exhibition.
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