Kiyomizu Rokubey VIII

Eighth generation Kiyomizu Rokubey VIII

Established in the mid-Edo period, the Kiyomizu Rokubey family has continued their legacy for 248 years and over eight generations since 1771.

Eighth generation Rokubey was born in Kyoto in 1954 as the eldest son of the seventh generation. His given name at birth was Masahiro. After graduating from Waseda University, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Architecture in 1979 (Showa 54), he studied pottery at Kyoto Prefectural Ceramists' Technical Institute and went on to study glaze at Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Research before becoming full-fledged in ceramic art.

Kiyomizu received the Grand Prix at the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition in 1983 (Showa 58) which became the year of his actual debut, and continued on to win the Kazuo Yagi Award at the Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition in 1988 and 1989, the Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Award in 1993 and the Ceramic Society of Japan Prize in 2005. He has always gained attention in the era where ceramic art expression took off from the 1980s to the 90s.

Structured works using the tatara technique consistently pursues spatiality, and the soil used for firing has direct effect on the glaze, giving a unique texture to each piece and the surrounding environment. Clay slabs are cut exactly according to plans and bonded together, but by creating slits in the body the strength of a piece can be manipulated. In addition, distortion due to firing can be intentionally incorporated in a piece using the force of gravity.

After succeeding his father as eighth generation in 2000 (Heisei 12), his creative work has largely been focused on structured ceramic ware. He later became a professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design in 2003 (Heisei 15) and has been dedicated in nurturing the next generation while working energetically in his creations. After receiving the Ceramic Society of Japan Prize in 2005 (Heisei 17), he has become one of the faces that represents the ceramic art world today.