Artist Talk:

Kenta takaki - Turning Porcelain into TOFU
thursday, august 14, 2025
7:00-8:30PM
ADMISSION IS FREE, RSVP REQUESTED (CLICK HERE)

Kumamoto-based ceramist Kenta Takaki encountered Amakusa porcelain while training as a potter in Amakusa, and became drawn to its "whiteness", which inspired him to emphasize the purity of the clay and the grace of vessel forms.  His works range from elegant pure white porcelain vessels to dishes that mimic paper and even sculptural works depicting various forms of tofu.
This artist talk will be held in conjunction with his first solo exhibition in the United States at the Japanese America Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) in Little Tokyo on August 16th and 17th, 2025.

Using this fine porcelain clay, Takaki creates utilitarian vessels for eating and drinking, including elegant bowls and slender dishes. Unlike many traditional porcelains, these vessels are coated with a transparent glaze and no decoration, to emphasize the purity of the clay and the grace of the forms. In addition, the energy of the clay motivates Takaki to create thought-provoking sculptural works – often mimicking other materials, such as paper and food.

Ahead of the exhibition, he and exhibition curator Meher McArthur, will give a talk at Japan Foundation, opening with a slide presentation by McArthur introducing Amakusa porcelain and Takaki’s work, followed by a conversation with the artist that will be open to guests’ questions and comments. 

about the artist

Kenta Takaki

Kenta Takaki was born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1986. As a young man, he studied ceramics under Kazuhiro Kanazawa, a fifth-generation potter making Maruo Ware, a popular local ceramic made of red clay. After his apprenticeship with Kanazawa, he became independent and in 2016 established his own kiln working in Amakusa porcelain because he was attracted by the charm of porcelain and its possibilities.
He works exclusively in Amakusa clay, a pure white porcelain that has been mined and used in the Amakusa region near Kumamoto for over 250 years.

https://www.kenta-takaki.com

about the curator

Meher McArthur

Meher McArthur is a Japanese art historian based in the Los Angeles area. For over 25 years, she has been curating exhibitions, writing, and lecturing about Japanese art and artists both locally and in travelling exhibitions nationally. One of her most recent exhibitions was TATSU: Depictions of Dragons in Japanese Art, held at Japan Foundation, LA in 2024 for the Year of the Dragon.