Turning Point: Japanese Studio Ceramics in the Mid-20th Century

This exhibition explores a crucial period of contemporary ceramic art in Japan, during which studio potters redefined the art of clay from a “craft” to an artistic form in which individual expression was emphasized over particular styles or production sites. Pioneering potters in the 1930s initiated the change that invited a burst of new expressions in the 1950s and 1960s, when potters’ personal visions became the central interest.

This exhibition is organized by the University of Michigan Museum of Art and was made possible in part by the University of Michigan’s Center for Japanese Studies, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts, and other generous donors.