The Stratford Gallery Yu Sugimoto - Artists

Yu Sugimoto

Overview Gallery Statement Exhibitions Works Follow Artist

Overview

1979: Born in Aichi Prefecture, Japan
1995–2005: Apprenticed at Furuya Seitosho under master Nobuo Furuya
2005–2006: Traveled to Papua New Guinea with ceramist Kengō Saeki and spent time in Canada
2007: Moved to Shigaraki to focus on its unique ceramic heritage
2010: Held first solo exhibition at Gallery Tōen, Shigaraki
2011: Second solo exhibition at Kamakura Tōshin, Kanagawa
2016: “The Sculptural Beauty of Yakishime” solo show at Kama-to Gallery
2018: Featured in a dedicated Shigaraki exhibition titled “杉本祐信楽展 - Yu Sugimoto - Shigaraki”

Gallery Statement

Yu Sugimoto’s work is deeply tied to the natural and cultural essence of Shigaraki. His approach begins with carefully selecting local clays, which he subjects to intense, four-day anagama kiln firings. The resulting stoneware pieces—tea bowls, sake cups, vases, and tableware—capture the raw, elemental beauty of Shigaraki’s iron-rich clay and the dynamic traces of flame and ash. Sugimoto’s unglazed yakishime style celebrates the interplay of earth and fire, creating ceramics that honour tradition yet speak with a distinctly contemporary voice. His art translates Shigaraki’s storied soil into quietly powerful forms, reflecting both ancient roots and modern sensibilities.

Exhibitions

Summer Shuki 2025 06 June 2025 - 27 June 2025 We are thrilled to announce Summer Shuki 2025, a landmark exhibition dedicated to one of Japan’s most revered and deeply human ceramic art forms &ndash... Read More

Works

Yu Sugimoto

Shigaraki Tokkuri (sake bottle)

Shigaraki Stoneware with Natural Ash Glazing

SOLD

Yu Sugimoto

Shigaraki Tokkuri (sake bottle)

Shigaraki Stoneware with Natural Ash Glazing

£210