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Shoji Kamoda


加守田 章二 
(1933-1983)


Shoji Kamoda’s innovative approach to ceramics, especially during a prolific period from 1967 to 1978, transformed the landscape of modern Japanese pottery. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Japanese ceramic artists of the 20th century, Kamoda achieved in a mere half-century what many artists struggle to accomplish in double the time. Born in 1933 in Kishiwada, Osaka, Kamoda's creative journey began at Kyoto City University of Arts, where he studied ceramics under Tomimoto Kenkichi and Kondo Yūzō. After graduation in 1956, Kamoda worked as an engineer at Hitachi Ohmika Pottery Studio, before moving to Mashiko for an internship at Tsukamoto Seitojo in 1958. This hands-on experience led him to strike out independently, focusing on ash glaze and Ameyu glaze techniques.

In 1967, Kamoda was awarded the Takamura Kōtarō Prize, the first ever given to a potter, marking the beginning of his rise to prominence. By 1969, after relocating to Tōno city in Iwate Prefecture, Kamoda developed his distinctive style, combining curving lines, inscriptions, and colour in his pottery. His creations, always functional yet far from conventional, redefined the relationship between form, surface, and decoration.

In 1983 Kamoda sadly passed away at the age of 49, but his legacy remains monumental. Even today, his groundbreaking contributions to ceramics continue to inspire artists, with his forms and surface designs being widely imitated and reinterpreted. His popularity in Japan during his lifetime has translated into lasting admiration, with collectors and museums across the world.

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Tea Cup