Fukumoto Fuku (b. 1973) | Moonlight (Tsukikage)

Purchased from the artist, 2010. 

Three large moon bowls nest amongst one another, contrasting the celestial pure white body of the unglazed porcelain surfaces with the rich teal and blue glazes partially covering the interior. The gently undulating rims reveal a fluid, water-like quality echoed by the deep pool of blue glaze to the centre of the bowl.

Fukumoto Fuku is a key figure in the second generation of female artists currently redefining the landscape of Japanese contemporary ceramics. Born to a family of distinguished textile artists, Fukumoto chose instead to pursue a different craft. During her studies at Kyoto City University of Arts, Fukumoto focused on porcelain whilst working under the ceramic sculptor and Sodeisha artist, Akiyama Yo (b. 1953). Taking inspiration from ethereal and heavenly bodies such as the moon, light and stars, Fukumoto creates utilitarian objects with quiet and irregular forms that have garnered her international recognition. Fukumoto has been awarded numerous prizes for her works, including the Grand Prize, Asahi Modern Craft Exhibition, Osaka, Tokyo (2001), the Shinjin Prize for Most Promising Young Talen in the Fine Art Division of the Gotoh Commemorative Culture Award (2003), International Ceramics Competition Mino, Gifu (2003), and the Kyoto City Artistic New Comer Award (2008).

Fukumoto’s works are in public collections internationally, including the Harn Museum of Art, Florida, the INAX Tile Museum, Aichi, the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, Kansas, and the Museum of Kyoto.

A different example of three nesting moon bowls is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), accession number 2008.248, go to:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/74482?ft=2008.248&offset=0&rpp=40&pos=1