Akio Takamori

Ceramic sculptor Akio Takamori spent close to four decades exploring the psychological drama of human relationships in his figurative pieces. He is known for his expressive, whimsical beings that initially took the form of “envelope vases”—slim vessels formed from slabs—that later evolved into free-standing, coil-built sculptures. In 1974, encouraged by the artist Ken Ferguson, Takamori moved to the United States to attend the Kansas City Art Institute, where he broke from the traditional folk pottery he had learned in Japan. While his figures are often erotic, they also include folkloric touches like coy smirks and other painted expressions. Takamori was an established force in the Pacific Northwest’s ceramics scene and taught in the University of Washington School of Art’s esteemed ceramics department from 1993 to 2014. Takamori has received numerous awards, including the 2011 Ford Fellowship, and his works are in major museum collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian.