Well, the other day I went to the Setouchi City Museum of Art in Ushimado to see the "Setouchi Sokokai Exhibition."
The museum was newly established on the third floor of the town office, and it was a spacious and excellent exhibition area.
The handmade ceramic sculptures by the members who studied under Master Gyokusen Kimura were all so delicate, powerful, and unique that it was hard to believe they were created from mere lumps of clay, with most featuring animal and human motifs.
I believe that for animal and human motifs, the expression is everything, and these pieces were all filled with such vivid and rich expressions that I could feel how sincerely each member had faced their clay.
Works by the representative, Master Gyokusen, were also on display, and the collection of his overwhelming masterpieces made me admire him as truly the leading expert in Bizen ceramic sculpture.
In particular, the piece featuring a white Bizen skull entwined with a white Bizen snake was truly spectacular, especially since the snake's eyes were made using clay that fired to a pink color.
Admission is free and the exhibition runs until Wednesday the 7th, so please be sure to stop by if you are sightseeing in Ushimado.
