Artist Statement
For me, the act of creation is a collaboration between myself, the clay and the fire. Collaboration means finding what the clay wants to be and bringing out its beauty in the way that the beauty of our surroundings is created through natural forces. Undulations in sand that has been moved by the wind, rock formations caused by landslides, the crackle and patina in the wall of an old house; all these owe their special beauty to the random hand of Nature. The fire is the ultimate random part of the collaborative equation. I hope the fire will be my ally, but I know it will always transform the clay in ways I cannot anticipate.
私にとって、創作というのは火と土と自分との間のコラボレーションを意味します。ここでのコラボレーションというのは、土の性質を知り、それがどのようになりたいかに耳を澄ますこと。自然の力を通して作られた造形物のように、そこに秘められた美を引き出したい。風に晒されてできた砂のうねり, 地滑りからできた岩の層、古屋の劣化した壁やひび。自然によって作られるこのような形は、それぞれに特別な美しさを秘めています。土の個性を探り、火を自然の手として自分の感性を表現してゆく。しかし、上手く扱えるように理解しようと努力すればするほど、いつも予想がつかない結果が現れるのです。
Bio
Born in Osaka, Japan, Akira Satake moved to the U.S. in 1981 where he spent two years in California before relocating to Brooklyn, NY. A professional musician, Akira spent his NY years running a music production company, Damfino Productions, and also produced world music recordings for his label, Alula Records. In 2003 Akira and his family moved to Swannanoa, NC where he set up Akira Satake Ceramics and devoted himself to his growing passion for making pottery. In 2013 he opened Gallery Mugen in Asheville's River Arts District. A national weekly television series on PBS, A Craftsman's Legacy, has featured his life and work.
Akira is widely sought after as an instructor and lecturer and has been invited to teach and exhibit throughout the U.S. as well as in France, Italy, Belgium, Israel, Australia, Spain, Chile, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Bali.
Collections: The Mint Museum, The Phillips Collection, Asheville Museum. The Philadelphia Museum awarded him the National Award for Excellence in Contemporary Clay.
大阪府堺市出身。１９８１年米国へ移住。音楽家としてDamfino Productions、Alula Recordsを設立。
２００３年、ニューヨーク州ブルックリンから家族と共にノースキャロライナ州スワナノアに移転。薪釜とガス釜を使い本格的に作陶を始める。
２００７年フィラデルフィア美術館より現代陶器最高優秀国家賞受賞。
２０１３年スタジオ兼展示スペース、Gallery Mugenをノースキャロライナ州アッシュビルにオープン。
２０１５年アメリカ国営放送 ”A Craftman’s Legacy”（ドキュメンタリー番組）フィーチャリングアーティストとして出演。
アメリカ国内をはじめ、フランス、ベルギー、イスラエル、オーストラリア、スペイン、インドネシア、香港、台湾、イタリア、イギリスで展覧会、レクチャー、ワークショップを行う。
永久収蔵：ミント美術館、フィリップス コレクション、アッシュビル美術館
Recent awards, events and exhibitions
Workshop at Ceramistas De Reñaca in Chile, 2023
Workshop at UP associazione culturale in Italy, 2022
Workshop at La Meridiana International School of Ceramics in Tuscany, 2022
Virtual workshop with Ken Matsuzaki, 2020, 2021
Workshop and exhibition in Barcelona, Spain, 2017
Workshop in Hong Kong, 2019
Two person show in Taipei, and workshop and lecture at Tainan University of Art, Taiwan, 2019
Exhibition at Stratford Gallery, UK, 2018 and 2019
Presenter for International Woodfire Conference NC, 2017
Workshop at Gaya Ceramic Arts Center, Bali, 2017 and 2019
Tea bowl exhibition at Oxford Ceramics Gallery, UK, 2016
Two person show with Tim Rowan at Sara Japanese Pottery, NYC, 2016
Invited artist/lecturer and workshop for Clay Gulgong, Australia, 2016
Workshops in Belgium and France, 2015
Solo exhibition at Clay Akar, 2015 and 2017
Workshop with Shozo Michikawa in France, 2014
Two week Anagama wood-firing workshop, Peters Valley School of Craft, NJ, 2013
Lecture: “The Tea Ceremony and its Influence on Japanese Ceramics,” Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC, 2013
SOFA NY, 2012
Lecture and solo exhibition, Illinois Wesleyan University, 2012
Invited artist/lecturer and workshop for Israel pottery symposium, 2009
National Award for Excellence in Contemporary Clay, Philadelphia Museum Show, 2007
Mint Museum Pottery Invitational, 2009—2018 Smithsonian Craft Show, 2008--2010
Philadelphia Museum Show, 2007--2012
