Exhibition dates: 6 September 2024 – 9 February 2025

Hovering between human-animal and spirit god forms, artist Shinichi Sawada creates ceramic sculptures that explore a millennia-old tradition of Japanese pottery and the Shigaraki kilns. Sawada is a Japanese ceramic artist who began creating ceramics in 2000. For the last two decades, Sawada has produced alluring, mesmerising figures covered in eyes and densely patterned with chopstick-traced lines. 

This modest exhibition of about 30 of Sawada’s sculptures—representing variations in size and spanning about a decade—create a fantastical array of forms and features that echo elements of outsider art seen throughout the world and throughout art history, while also offering the opportunity to explore the specific tradition of Japanese pottery in the mountains where Sawada works.

Shinichi Sawada: Agents of Clay began touring at the Mint Museum, CAM being the second venue on the tour.

On the reception desk is a touch piece made by a local artist that has been wood-fired like Sawada’s work, for those who want to feel a texture like his work.

A new book on the artist will be available for purchase here priced at $30.

Opening Times: Wednesday – Sunday, 10am–5pm

Access: Please visit Contemporary Art Museum St Louis website for access information.
A BSL (british sign language) video about Sawada is on his artist page on the website here. There is a link to ASL (American Sign Language) about the artist as a QR code in the exhibition and on the Contemporary Art Museum St Louis. website.