Fine Lines: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics

January 17–August 10, 2026

Gallery 136

The phrase “a fine line” often has an association with a sense of separateness, a choice of “either or.” Yet, a line may represent a point of connection as often as it denotes distinction.

Using this interpretation as a guide, this special feature brings together the work of 17 artists by celebrating the “fine lines” of contemporary Japanese ceramics. Many of the featured artists have incorporated linear details into physical elements of their work—evident within precise angles, intricate patterns, and considered decorations. Other artists have explored the “fine lines” of their field through more conceptual approaches, as they intentionally blur and—in some cases—combine boundaries between cultural, geographical, and chronological influences; functional practicalities and sculptural aesthetics; and traditional methods and contemporary approaches.