Joan B. Mirviss LTD

07/22/2026

While the precise result of his firing is in "the kiln gods’ hands," Katō Ryōtarō's years of experience with the anagama, or tunnel kiln, have granted him a remarkable prescience that guides him as he loads the kiln and stokes the flames. Blending generations of Mino craftsmanship with a spirit of experimentation, Katō embraces the kiln’s unpredictability, allowing natural processes to leave their mark on every surface. While it is the flames that catalyze the alchemical transformation of the works’ surfaces, it is Katō’s hands that orchestrate it. The result is pure magic: sensuous surfaces that shift from blue to green to ochre, each unique expression a trace of the kiln’s flames.

Browse the artworks from this exhibition at https://www.mirviss.com/exhibitions/206-colored-by-flame-the-artistry-of-kato-ryotaro/

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Katō Ryōtarō (b. 1974)
Globular vase with dripping lapis lazuli-colored glaze, titled: GLOBE (Lapis lazuli), 2025
Glazed stoneware
11 x 11 1/4 in.

07/20/2026

Exhibition Highlight — The Kondō Family: Storytellers in Clay at Seattle Art Museum

We're so pleased that The Kondō Family: Storytellers in Clay is now open at the Seattle Art Museum.

"The Kondō Family: Storytellers in Clay brings together works by four artists across three generations of one of Japan’s most influential artistic families: Kondō Yūzō (1902–1985), his sons Kondō Yutaka (1932–1983) and Kondō Hiroshi (1936–2012), and Hiroshi’s son Kondō Takahiro (b. 1958). The exhibition traces a century of practice within this single family lineage. It is presented in partnership with the Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, a major private collection of modern and contemporary Japanese ceramics." —

The Kondō Family: Storytellers in Clay will be on view at the Seattle Art Museum through January 3, 2027. Browse the exhibition at https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/exhibitions/the-kondo-family-storytellers-in-clay

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Reflection: TK “Self-Portraits”, 2010, Kondō Takahiro, Japanese, b. 1958, molded and cast porcelain, pit-fired with black “Silver Mist” glaze; made at the Tenkawa Daibenzaiten Shrine, Yoshino, Nara Prefecture, each 9 1/2 × 6 7/8 × 9 1/2 in., Collection of Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz, photos: Richard P. Goodbody and John Morgan.

07/18/2026

Waves, flames, hands, or brushstrokes... This work by Katō Ryōtarō, titled "Ensō," is actually a reference to the Zen Buddhist paintings of a singular brushstroke (also called Ensō paintings).

Stay tuned for part two of this series, in which we will discuss this work's calligraphic counterparts!

Browse the exhibition at https://www.mirviss.com/exhibitions/206-colored-by-flame-the-artistry-of-kato-ryotaro/

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Katō Ryōtarō (b. 1974)
Globular vase with dripping Oribe glaze and cut-outs resembling a calligraphic brushstroke, titled: ENSO (Oribe), 2026
Glazed stoneware
10 1/4 x 11 3/8 in.

Selection of teabowls from "Colored by Flame: The Artistry of Katō Ryōtarō"

Nakahara Nantenbō (1839–1925)
Ensō, 1924
Hanging scroll; ink on paper
Sheet: 13 3/8 × 17 11/16 in. (34 × 45 cm)
Mount: 41 9/16 × 19 11/16 in. (105.5 × 50 cm)
The Gitter-Yelen Collection, gift of Dr. Kurt Gitter and Alice Yelen Gitter
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

07/16/2026

07/14/2026

We are deeply saddened to note the passing of master Bizen ceramic artist, Isezaki Jun (1936–2026).

Born to a distinguished line of Bizen ceramic artists, Isezaki Jun incorporated aesthetic influences from a broad range of sources, including Sōdeisha, Osamu Noguchi, and Joan Miró, to develop a unique aesthetic approach to the unglazed, wood-fired stoneware tradition of the Bizen region. His works were characterized by a sense of both boldness and lightness in form that gracefully showcased the hallmark kiln effects of Bizen wood-firing, earning him the designation of Living National Treasure in 2004.

Equally important to Isezaki-sensei’s artistic legacy was his role as a teacher and mentor. In particular, he welcomed many foreign apprentices to his studio at a time when it was uncommon to do so. Among his proteges is the New York-based artist Jeff Shapiro, who went on to teach Isezaki-sensei’s own son, Isezaki Koichirō. Isezaki Jun’s impact as both an artist and teacher will continue to resonate for decades to come.

07/13/2026

In conjunction with the exhibition Colored by Flame: The Artistry of Katō Ryōtarō (), tea master Yosh*tsugu Nagano () hosted a day of tea ceremonies in Central Park. Using Katō's teabowls, we were led through a traditional chanoyu, where Yosh*tsugu Nagano made freshly prepared matcha amid the serene landscape of the park. Thank you to all who joined us!

To see these teabowls, along with his other more sculptural works, visit the gallery at 39 East 78th Street, New York, NY, and stay tuned for more events like this one!

07/11/2026

Thank you to tea master Yosh*tsugu Nagano () for hosting a wonderful day of tea ceremonies in Central Park with us! What a treat to share this experience with artist Katō Ryōtarō () during his first ever exhibition in the United States, and to utilize several of his magnificent teabowls.

To see these teabowls, along with his other more sculptural works, visit the gallery at 39 East 78th Street, New York, NY. Stay tuned for more events like this one!

Browse the exhibition at https://www.mirviss.com/exhibitions/206-colored-by-flame-the-artistry-of-kato-ryotaro/

07/08/2026

Now on View — Colored by Flame: The Artistry of Katō Ryōtarō 🔥

At the heart of Katō Ryōtarō’s ceramic practice is the anagama, or tunnel kiln. After lighting the kiln, he spends five days stoking the flames and praying to the gods of fire. Flames and black smoke spout out from the kiln, the interior of which reaches 1300 degrees Celsius. In these extreme conditions, the glaze turns molten and interacts with minerals present in the clay body. Natural ash coats the works, altering the chemistry of the glaze formula it contacts. This is how the works’ unique gradations of color emerge.

Katō likens this process to a collaboration between himself and the kiln, one that requires an act of surrender on his part: “My work extends to the point of loading the kiln. The rest is up to the kiln gods.”

Colored by Flame: The Artistry of Katō Ryōtarō will be on view through August 28th.

Browse available works at https://www.mirviss.com/exhibitions/206-colored-by-flame-the-artistry-of-kato-ryotaro/

07/06/2026

Join us for a Japanese tea ceremony in Central Park with Katō Ryōtarō!

On Wednesday, July 8th, in 40 minute sessions from 10am–3pm, tea master Yosh*tsugu Nagano and artist Katō Ryōtarō will be preparing matcha and serving it, accompanied by a seasonal Japanese sweet, to guests.

Experience matcha served in handcrafted teabowls by renowned ceramic artist Katō Ryōtarō during the opening week of his exhibition. Surrounded by nature, discover a unique moment where Japanese tea culture, contemporary ceramics, and the beauty of Central Park come together. Space is limited—don’t miss this rare seasonal experience!

Register now at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nodate-matcha-with-ryotaro-katos-tea-bowls-tickets-1992098342769

07/04/2026

Happy Independence Day from all of us at Joan B Mirviss LTD! This weekend, we'll be dreaming of Kondō Takahiro's blue waves and silver-mist glazing...

Enjoy the holiday!

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Kondō Takahiro (b. 1958)
Tall standing blue-and-white marbleized diamond-shaped form and gintekisai (“silver-mist”) beaded glazing with pâte de verre clear cast glass cover, 2023
Marbleized porcelain, "silver-mist" overglaze, cast glass
25 3/4 x 9 5/8 x 6 7/8 in.