Collection: Artist Category > The "SA" column (Kakiemon Sakaiida, etc.) > Osamu Suzuki

Born in Higashiyama, Kyoto in 1926, Suzuki Osamu was familiar with the world of pottery from an early age, learning pottery wheel techniques from his father. After graduating from the Ceramics Department of Kyoto Municipal Second Technical School, he formed the avant-garde pottery group "Sodeisha" with Yagi Kazuo and Yamada Hikaru in 1948, shortly after the war. Pursuing free artistic expression unconstrained by tradition, he created a new trend in the world of Japanese pottery.

Since winning the Gold Medal at the International Ceramic Art Exhibition in 1962, his work has gained recognition both at home and abroad, and in 1983 he won the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition Prize. His innovative work was widely recognized, and he was awarded the first Fujiwara Kei Memorial Award the following year and the Mainichi Art Award in 1985. He has also received many other honors, including the Kyoto Prefecture Culture Award in 1987 and the Japan Art Grand Prize in 1998.

His works are characterized by abstract forms of natural motifs such as birds, horses, and clouds. His works, made of Shigaraki clay with red lacquer, and his clear blue-and-white porcelain vessels are highly acclaimed for their aesthetic beauty that goes beyond practicality. His works, created with a unique sensibility, are sculptural yet exude a presence that strongly conveys the essence of ceramics.

Suzuki Osamu, who led the Sodeisha group for many years, ended his activities with the "Sodeisha Kyoto Exhibition" in 1998, and was awarded the Asahi Prize the following year in 1999. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 75, but his innovative spirit and works continue to have a strong influence on contemporary ceramics.