{"title":"Matsuzaki Ken (松崎健)","description":"\u003cp\u003eWorks by the ceramic artist Matsuzaki Ken (松崎健, 1950–) currently available at Antique Liquor.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"269","title":"Kokugakai Member and Nojima Prize Winner Matsuzaki Ken (松崎健), White-slip Red-painted Windowed Floral Sake Cup, Japanese Kogei, Ceramic Rock Cup #269","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"8\"\u003eThis piece is a white-slip red-painted yunomi (teacup) that fully exhibits the exceptional sensibility and technique of Matsuzaki Ken (1950-), a powerful ceramic artist who has established a solid position in Japan's modern applied arts and crafts world, rising to the highest rank of member at the prestigious public exhibition, the Kokugakai. The artist himself meticulously created this as a yunomi, and on the lid of the dedicated wooden box (tomobako), \"White-slip Red-painted Yunomi\" is inscribed in ink by the artist's own hand, along with Ken's signature and a vivid seal. We propose this piece, with its superb wheel-thrown size of approximately 8.0 cm in height that fits solidly in the hand, and its painterly and modern design that transcends the traditional beauty of utility, as the ultimate Japanese kogei (craft) sake vessel (ceramic rock cup) for slowly enjoying rare aged sake that has matured to a beautiful amber color over many years, or premium single malt whisky with large ice cubes. It is a masterpiece of Japanese contemporary avant-garde craft rarely seen in overseas markets, possessing a solid asset value that brings joy to ownership and elevates everyday moments into an exceptional artistic experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"9\"\u003eThe artist, Matsuzaki Ken (1950-), was born in Machida City, Tokyo, in 1950, and graduated from Tamagawa University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Arts, specializing in ceramics, in 1972. He grew up in an artistic family with a father who was a Japanese painter, Matsuzaki Osami, and an elder brother who was a woodworker. Since his father was a close friend of Noriyuki Ushijima, a Western-style painter and member of the Japan Art Academy, since junior high school, Matsuzaki was fortunate to be exposed to pure art education daily from a young age. After graduating from university, he underwent five years of strict live-in training under \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E5%B3%B6%E5%B2%A1%E9%81%94%E4%B8%89%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eShimaoka Tatsuzo\u003c\/a\u003e, a master of Mashiko ware, and became independent in 1977 by building his own kiln in Mashiko's Kitago Valley. His essential achievement lies in pursuing a unique modern sculptural beauty based on the reliable traditional techniques inherited from his mentor, which has been highly acclaimed in the Japanese art world. Less than three years after becoming independent, in 1980, he achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Kokugakai Nojima Prize. In 1982, he was recommended as an associate member of the Kokugakai, and in 1984, he again received the Kokugakai Associate Member Excellent Work Prize. In 1986, he was promoted to the highest rank of Kokugakai member at a young age. Furthermore, through three trips abroad to the United States and Canada, he luxuriously absorbed the essence of contemporary art overseas. In addition to holding solo exhibitions annually in Tokyo and Osaka, he actively organized mentor-disciple exhibitions and three-person family exhibitions in various locations, establishing a solid reputation as an individual artist both domestically and internationally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"10\"\u003eA professional analysis of the form and decorative beauty of this piece reveals the successful culmination of Matsuzaki Ken's unique painterly sophistication and calculated spatial composition, cultivated at the forefront of the Kokugakai. On the front of the vessel, on the rustic and soft texture of white slip (a technique of thinly applying white engobe to the surface of the vessel), one of the most highly regarded techniques, a dignified windowed decorative frame is created with sharp red-painted lines. Within this frame, flowing floral patterns are depicted with powerful strokes of red painting, and vivid green dots are arranged in a calculated balance at the top, creating an urban and modern rhythm amidst the warmth of traditional folk art. Furthermore, looking inside the vessel, iron glazes such as iron-rich black glaze and amber glaze show a dynamic swirling pattern along the rotation of the potter's wheel, creating a wonderful effect that produces visual depth and beautiful shimmering light when sake is poured and ice is floated. At the bottom of the vessel, next to the foot ring, a modern round pottery seal, designed with the artist's name, is clearly engraved, proving the authenticity of the piece. The precious official leaflet (with a brief biography) from that time, featuring handwritten recommendations from Western-style painter Noriyuki Ushijima and others, is included in perfect condition, making this a supreme piece of art and craft in the best possible state without any flaws.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"11\"\u003e*Comment from Mr. Shimaoka Tatsuzo, Mr. Matsuzaki's mentor\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"11\"\u003eMr. Matsuzaki majored in ceramics at the Department of Arts at Tamagawa University in Tokyo and then studied with me for five years after graduation. He grew up in a good environment with a Japanese painter for a father and a woodworker for an elder brother, possessing a gifted talent in addition to an unparalleled passion for his work. Mr. Matsuzaki is directing his work towards tableware that is closely linked to daily life. This is a solid idea, rare among young people today, and though it may seem understated at first glance, it is the most correct attitude when creating pottery as craft, and I believe that the true beauty of pottery emerges from within it. Having accumulated over ten years of training and developed ample skill, Mr. Matsuzaki has now become independent, owning his own kiln and workshop, and is free to express his ideas. I look forward to seeing what kind of blossoms will unfold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-path-to-node=\"12\"\u003e*Comment from Mr. Noriyuki Ushijima, Member of the Japan Art Academy\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"12\"\u003eMatsuzaki Ken, who works with ceramics in Mashiko, is the son of my close friend Matsuzaki Osami, with whom I often went sketching in junior high school. I wonder if the humanistic guidance provided by his father has had a significant influence on Ken's ceramic work. Our work emerges from our daily living environment, and I believe this is important not only for painting but also for pottery. I hope that he will accomplish magnificent work in the future, leaving no regrets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,0,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eArtist\u003c\/b\u003e: Matsuzaki Ken (松崎健, 1950-)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,1,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eArtist's Major Career Highlights\u003c\/b\u003e: [1950] Born in Machida City, Tokyo, [1972] After graduating from Tamagawa University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Arts, specializing in ceramics, he studied under Shimaoka Tatsuzo in Mashiko, [1977] Built a kiln and became independent in Mashiko Kitago Valley, [1980] Awarded the Kokugakai Nojima Prize, [1982] Recommended as an associate member of Kokugakai, [1984] Awarded the Kokugakai Associate Member Excellent Work Prize, [1986] Promoted to a full member of Kokugakai. Three overseas trips (Canada, USA), held solo exhibitions annually in Tokyo and Osaka, organized mentor-disciple exhibitions and three-person family exhibitions in various locations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,2,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eWorks in Public Collections\u003c\/b\u003e: Permanently housed in public collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (USA), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (USA), Victoria and Albert Museum (UK), Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (USA), Minneapolis Institute of Arts (USA), Cleveland Museum of Art (USA), Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art (Tochigi Prefecture), and Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts (Tochigi Prefecture).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,3,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eProduction Period\u003c\/b\u003e: Late 1980s - Around 1990s (estimated, presumed to be a fine piece from his mid-prime period when the dignified beauty of traditional white slip and red painting reached its peak, before his style boldly shifted towards dynamic kiln changes and Oribe ware in later years).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,4,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,4,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eProduct Condition\u003c\/b\u003e: Very good (no chips, no cracks)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,5,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eAccessories\u003c\/b\u003e: Dedicated tomobako (wooden box), official artist's biography (leaflet) included.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,6,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,6,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eMaterial\u003c\/b\u003e: Pottery (white slip, red painting, iron glaze, transparent glaze)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,7,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,7,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eDimensions\u003c\/b\u003e: Height approx. 8.0 cm, Mouth diameter approx. 7.0 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13,8,0\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"13,8,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eNote\u003c\/b\u003e: All products offered by our shop, even if unused, are from a very old production period and are listed as used items. Products may have damage due to age; please understand and confirm this before considering a purchase.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47881783443643,"sku":null,"price":32000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_7739_result.jpg?v=1781228030"},{"product_id":"477","title":"Houston (USA) | Member of the Kokugakai | Mashiko Potter and Pupil of Shimaoka Tatsuzo | Matsuzaki Ken (松崎健) | Plate with Swirl Pattern in Green and Blue Glazes | Dish for Snacks #477","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThis is a plate by the Mashiko potter Matsuzaki Ken (born 1950), decorated with a swirling pattern in green and blue glazes. It comes without a tomobako or other accessories, and an incised mark cut with a spatula appears on the underside of the base. Our shop proposes this plate as a dish for snacks to accompany aged spirits and whisky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eMatsuzaki was born in Tokyo in 1950, the third son of the Nihonga painter \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E6%9D%BE%E5%B4%8E%E8%84%A9%E5%B7%B1%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eMatsuzaki Shuki\u003c\/a\u003e. He majored in ceramics in the Department of Art at Tamagawa University and, after graduating in 1972, studied in Mashiko under \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E5%B3%B6%E5%B2%A1%E9%81%94%E4%B8%89%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eShimaoka Tatsuzo\u003c\/a\u003e, holder of the Important Intangible Cultural Property for \"Mingei Pottery (Jomon Zogan Inlay).\" In 1977, he built his own kiln in the town of Mashiko and became independent, and he continues to work there to this day. Within the Kokugakai art association, he received the Nojima Prize in 1980 and the Associate Member's Excellence Prize in 1984, and became a full member in 1986.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art describes Matsuzaki as an artist who produces many tea ceramics, including Oribe, Shino, and Ki-Seto, and who values the expressions that arise through yohen (kiln transformation). The museum also notes that his works, born of his advanced wood-firing techniques, are highly regarded both in Japan and abroad, and describes him as one of the best-known Japanese potters in the United Kingdom and the United States. The museum held a solo exhibition of his work from October 2025 to January 2026. His works are held in collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in the United States, and Leicester Museums \u0026amp; Galleries in the United Kingdom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eIn this piece, fine lines rise in multiple spiraling rings from the center of the well outward. Where the lines stand up, the glaze thins and the clay shows through as slender golden-toned streaks, while green and deep blue glazes pool between the lines, the two colors parting as if flowing along the spiral. Fine crazing runs across the entire glazed surface. A band of green glaze encircles the rim, where throwing marks from the wheel remain as steps. The underside has a broad, flat, unglazed base, and along the edge of the glazing, glassy pools of glaze and a thin scarlet line can be seen. As the types of glaze and the type of kiln used for firing cannot be determined with certainty from external appearance, we refrain from stating them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eAs to condition, there is one small chip-like depression on the underside, at the boundary between the edge of the glaze and the unglazed base. No cracks or fractures extend from this spot, and it does not affect the function of the plate. It sits in a position that cannot be seen from the front, and even when the plate is turned over, it is small enough to go unnoticed unless looked for carefully. The fine lines visible in the well are glaze crazing, not cracks in the body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe period of production cannot be determined, as the piece has no tomobako, biographical leaflet, or other accessories, and bears no date. It was made in or after 1977, the year the artist built his kiln in Mashiko.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Matsuzaki Ken (松崎健, born 1950)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSelected Career Highlights: \u003c\/strong\u003e[1950] Born in Tokyo, the third son of the Nihonga painter Matsuzaki Shuki; [1972] Graduated in ceramics from the Department of Art, Tamagawa University, and began studying under Shimaoka Tatsuzo; [1977] Built his kiln in the town of Mashiko; [1978] Solo exhibition at the Keio Department Store Shinjuku (held annually thereafter); [1980] Nojima Prize, Kokugakai; [1984] Associate Member's Excellence Prize, Kokugakai; [1986] Became a full member of the Kokugakai; [2025] Solo exhibition at the Mashiko Museum of Ceramic Art (through 2026)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMuseum Collections: \u003c\/strong\u003eLos Angeles County Museum of Art (USA), Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (USA), Leicester Museums \u0026amp; Galleries (UK), and others\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeriod of Production:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1977 or later (based on the year the artist built his kiln; exact date unknown)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003eGood (one small chip-like depression at the edge of the glaze on the underside; no cracks or fractures, no effect on function)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccessories:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial: \u003c\/strong\u003eStoneware\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003eDiameter approx. 19.3 cm, Height approx. 3.0 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNotice: \u003c\/strong\u003eAll items offered by our shop, even those that are new and unused, were produced a very long time ago and are therefore listed as pre-owned. Items may show age-related wear or damage. Please understand this and review the details carefully before deciding to purchase.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67651884384443,"sku":null,"price":22000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_4762_result.jpg?v=1791639774"}],"url":"https:\/\/antiqueliquor1926.com\/en\/collections\/maker-matsuzaki-ken.oembed","provider":"Antique Liquor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}