Masaomi Yasunaga
Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1982. Lives & works in Iga-shi, Mie Prefecture.
While at University, Masaomi Yasunaga established his creative direction at the laboratory of Satoru Hoshino, a second-generation proponent of the avant-garde ceramic group “Sodeisha”. Yasunaga’s inventive works extend the lineage of Sodeisha’s challenge to the presumed functionality of ceramic and advance it’s sculptural directive.
In an article written for The Japan Times, Robert Yellin wrote of the Sodeisha group (1948-1988) philosophy that: “They had as their unwritten laws that they would not submit work to official exhibitions, to avoid being judged on others’ criteria, and not to copy antique wares of the past. That was the basic credo, quite bold and naive. A major hurdle in the beginning, believe it or not, was whether or not the mouth of a work should be closed or not- if left open it gives the feeling of a common vessel, and thus to close it was the only way to have it taken seriously as ceramic sculptural art”.
Initially, many of Yasunaga’s works referred to classic, functional pottery forms such as vessels and plates. Feeling that with new life or death, comes a moment when many things may change, Yasunaga responded to the passing of his grandmother ten years ago with burned white porcelain objects and shells, which allude to emptiness, loss or mere shadows. These existential ideas remain present in his current work, while the material processes and forms have evolved.
Yasunaga's recent works, technically cannot be categorized as ceramic, as there is no clay present in his finished forms. Unlike pottery, usually made of clay with glaze as a finishing surface, Yasunaga sculpts glaze as the primary material of his objects, which are pit-fired buried in sand, combined with unique raw materials such as feldspar, glass and metal powders. The viscous glaze melts, collapses, and aggregates with these materials, hardening to stone-like consistency after the kiln. The resulting objects, mostly non-functional vessels, shells and empty containers, often have the appearance of lost and found archeological relics.
Three years ago, upon the birth of his eldest son, Yasunaga began to hybridize his empty container forms with depictions of animals from around where he was born. Rendered in Yasunaga’s earthen materials, these “Empty creatures” conjure associations to numerous histories and places, and collectively form an unlikely geologic menagerie.
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Masaomi YasunagaUntitled, 2020Glaze, clay, river stones.13 x 9 1/8 x 9 1/2 in
33 x 23 x 24 cm -
Masaomi YasunagaUntitled, 2020Glaze, clay, river stones.18 1/8 x 23 5/8 x 23 5/8 in
46 x 60 x 60 cm -
Masaomi Yasunagaクラウン / crown, 2020Glaze, clay.9 1/8 x 10 1/4 x 10 1/4 in
23 x 26 x 26 cm -
Masaomi Yasunagaタワー / tower, 2020Glaze, clay.13 x 7 1/2 x 7 1/8 in
33 x 19 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunagaタワー / tower, 2020Glaze, clay.15 x 6 1/4 x 6 1/4 in
38 x 16 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunagaタワー / tower, 2020Glaze, clay.16 1/2 x 7 1/2 x 7 7/8 in
42 x 19 x 20 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga抜け殻の樹 / shedding bark, 2020Glaze, porcelain, clay.12 5/8 x 8 5/8 x 8 5/8 in
32 x 22 x 22 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.13 3/8 x 9 7/8 x 9 7/8 in
34 x 25 x 25 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, colored clay, clay.7 1/8 x 7 1/2 x 7 1/2 in
18 x 19 x 19 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, colored clay, clay.6 1/4 x 7 1/8 x 7 1/8 in
16 x 18 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.8 1/4 x 5 7/8 x 6 3/4 in
21 x 15 x 17 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.9 7/8 x 9 1/2 x 8 1/4 in
25 x 24 x 21 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.11 3/4 x 6 1/4 x 6 1/4 in
30 x 16 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.12 1/4 x 6 1/4 x 4 3/4 in
31 x 16 x 12 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.18 1/2 x 18 1/8 x 18 1/8 in
47 x 46 x 46 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2020Glass.5 1/8 x 10 5/8 x 10 5/8 in
13 x 27 x 27 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空っぽの器 / empty vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.15 x 5 7/8 x 7 1/8 in
38 x 15 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空っぽの器 / empty vessel, 2020Glaze, clay.17 3/8 x 5 7/8 x 7 1/8 in
44 x 15 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2020Glaze.2 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 2 3/8 in
7 x 14 x 6 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2020Glaze, porcelain.5 1/8 x 4 3/8 x 3 1/8 in
13 x 11 x 8 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2020Glaze, porcelain.5 7/8 x 6 1/8 x 2 3/4 in
15 x 15.5 x 7 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga塵積 / accumulation, 2019Glaze.12-5/8 x 7-7/8 x 7-7/8 inches
32 x 20 x 20 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga塵積 / accumulation, 2019Glaze, clay.20-7/8 x 30-5/16 x 22-7/16 inches
53 x 77 x 57 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga樹の抜け殻 / bark of a tree, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.13-3/8 x 5-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches
34 x 14 x 14 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga樹の抜け殻 / bark of a tree, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.13-3/8 x 5-7/8 x 6-5/16 inches
34 x 15 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga樹の抜け殻 / bark of a tree, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.11-7/16 x 7-1/2 x 7-1/2 inches
29 x 19 x 19 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga殻 / molted shell, 2019Glaze.13-3/4 x 12-3/16 x 11-13/16 inches
35 x 31 x 30 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga殻 / molted shell, 2019Glaze.10-1/4 x 5-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches
26 x 14 x 14 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.10-1/4 x 7-1/2 x 7-1/2 inches
26 x 19 x 19 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.13-3/4 x 5-7/8 x 5-7/8 inches
35 x 15 x 15 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.9-13/16 x 9-1/16 x 9-1/16 inches
25 x 23 x 23 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze.13 x 7-7/8 x 5-7/8 inches
33 x 20 x 15 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.14-3/16 x 7-1/2 x 6-5/16 inches
36 x 19 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.6-11/16 x 7-1/2 x 7-1/16 inches
17 x 19 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.8-11/16 x 6-11/16 x 6-5/16 inches
22 x 17 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.11 x 13-3/4 x 5-1/2 inches
28 x 35 x 14 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.14-3/16 x 5-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches
36 x 14 x 14 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.11-7/16 x 7-1/16 x 6-11/16 inches
29 x 18 x 17 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.13-3/8 x 6-5/16 x 6-5/16 inches
34 x 16 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.8-1/4 x 7-1/2 x 6-5/16 inches
21 x 19 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.17-5/16 x 11-13/16 x 9 7/16 inches
44 x 30 x 24 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.13-3/8 x 13-3/8 x 13-3/8 inches
34 x 34 x 34 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze.16-15/16 x 19-11/16 x 19-11/16 inches
43 x 50 x 50 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.12-5/8 x 23-5/8 x 23-5/8 inches
32 x 60 x 60 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.27-3/16 x 11-13/16-11-13/16 inches
69 x 30 x 30 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.26 x 13 x 11 inches
66 x 33 x 28 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.26-3/8 x 20-7/8 x 20-7/8 inches
67 x 53 x 53 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.11 x 7-1/2 x 7-1/16 in.
28 x 19 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔ける器 / melting vessel, 2019Glaze, clay.12-5/8 x 6-5/16 x 5-7/8 in.
32 x 16 x 15 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔け合う器 / fused vessels, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.15 3/4 x 13 3/4 x 4 3/8 in
40 x 35 x 11 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga熔け合う壷 / fused pots, 2019Glaze, clay.6-5/16 x 20-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches
16 x 52 x 14 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga石の器 / stone vessel, 2019Glaze.9-13/16 x 7-7/8 x 7-7/8 inches
25 x 20 x 20 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga石の器 / stone vessel, 2019Glaze.13-3/8 x 6-5/16 x 6-5/16 inches
34 x 16 x 16 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga石の器 / stone vessel, 2019Glaze.10-5/8 x 7-1/16 x 7-1/16 inches
27 x 18 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga石の器 / stone vessel, 2019Glaze.17-5/16 x 22-7/16 x 22-7/16 inches
44 x 57 x 57 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass, wood ashes.3-9/16 x 3-1/8 x 3-1/8 inches
9 x 8 x 8 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass, wood ashes.4-5/16 x 3-9/16 x 3-9/16 inches
11 x 9 x 9 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass.4-5/16 x 3-1/8 x 3-1/8 inches
11 x 8 x 8 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass, clay.4-5/16 x 3-15/16 x 3-15/16 inches
11 x 10 x 10 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass.3-9/16 x 3-15/16 x 3-15/16 inches
9 x 10 x 10 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass, wood ashes.4-3/4 x 3-9/16 x 3-9/16 inches
12 x 9 x 9 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass.4-3/4 x 5-1/8 x 5-1/8 inches
12 x 13 x 13 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass.5-1/8 x 9-1/16 x 7-1/16 inches
13 x 23 x 18 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass.7-7/8 x 8-11/16 x 8-11/16 inches
20 x 22 x 22 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga砕 / crumbling, 2019Glass, plaster4-3/4 x 4-3/16 x 3-3/4 inches
12 x 10.5 x 9.5 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空っぽの器 / empty vessel, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.9-13/16 x 13-3/8 x 5-1/8 inches
25 x 34 x 13 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空っぽの器 / empty vessel, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.17-5/16 x 14-9/16 x 3-15/16 inches
44 x 37 x 10 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.9-1/16 x 13-3/8 x 10-5/8 inches
23 x 34 x 27 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze.5-1/8 x 15-3/4 x 3-15/16 inches
13 x 40 x 10 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze.7-1/2 x 7-7/8 x 4-3/4 inches
19 x 20 x 12 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze.4-5/16 x 5-7/8 x 2-1/8 inches
11 x 15 x 6 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze, porcelain, clay.5-1/2 x 6-5/16 x 3-9/16 inches
14 x 16 x 9 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze.5-1/8 x 7-1/16 x 3-9/16 inches
13 x 18 x 9 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze.6-5/16 x 6-11/16 x 2-3/4 inches
16 x 17 x 7 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze.unknown
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Masaomi Yasunaga空虚な生き物 / empty creature, 2019Glaze.2-3/4 x 4-3/4 x 1-15/16 inches
7 x 12 x 5 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga箱の骨格 / skeleton of a box, 2019Glaze, clay.5-7/8 x 31-1/2 x 24-7/16 inches
15 x 80 x 62 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga脱殻 / empty shell, 2019Glaze, clay.7-1/2 x 10-1/4 x 9-7/16 inches
19 x 26 x 24 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga脱殻 / empty shell, 2019Glaze, clay.13-3/4 x 25-9/16 x 19-5/16 inches
35 x 65 x 49 cm -
Masaomi YasunagaGrid, 2015Colored Glaze, Titanium7 7/8 x 3 1/8 x 5/8 in
20 x 7.9 x 1.6 cm -
Masaomi YasunagaTaiwan, 2014Glaze.3 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 in
9 x 6.5 x 6.5 cm -
Masaomi YasunagaTaiwan, 2014Glaze, sand.4 3/4 x 5 7/8 x 5 1/8 in
12 x 15 x 13 cm -
Masaomi YasunagaTaiwan, 2014Glaze, sand.14 5/8 x 5 1/8 x 3 1/8 in
37 x 13 x 8 cm -
Masaomi Yasunaga骨と皮 / bone and skin, 2014Glaze, Iron11-13/16 x 18-1/8 x 18-1/8 in.
30 x 46 x 46 cm
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not titled not Untitled
February 12 - March 26, 2022Participating Artists: Christian Alborz Oldham, Simone Berry, Mel Bochner, Kazuo Kadonaga, Tadaaki Kuwayama, Davora Lindner, Keita Matsunaga, Jiro Nagase, Rakuko Naito, Tomohisa Obana, Tomoko Obana, Helen Sharp, Michele Stuart, Kunié...Read more -
Sterling Ruby and Masaomi Yasunaga
September 19 - October 31, 2020Press: Ceramic Now , October 8, 2020 Art Viewer , October 5, 2020 HYPEBEAST September 21, 2020 Air Mail , September 28, 2020 Nonaka-Hill is pleased to present Sterling Ruby...Read more -
Masaomi Yasunaga
June 1 - July 20, 2019Press: Art Viewer , July 9, 2019 Los Angeles Times , July 5, 2019 Masaomi Yasunaga (Born 1982, Osaka Japan. Living and working in Iga, Mie Prefecture, Japan) In a...Read more
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FOG Design+Art
Nonaka-Hill & Ratio 3 January 19 - 22, 2023Nonaka-Hill and Ratio 3 are pleased to present a joint booth. Nonaka-Hill is exhibiting the sculptural ceramics of Hosai Matsubayashi XVI and Masaomi Yasunaga with...Read more -
Art Collaboration Kyoto
Nonaka-Hill collaboration with Shibunkaku November 18 - 20, 2022Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) is an art fair held in Kyoto under the theme of “contemporary art and collaboration.” It is one of the largest...Read more -
SIZED
June 15 - 27, 2021