In Conversation: Hayashi Kaku with Colin Pearson
April 29, 2026 | 6:30–7:30 pm
Singer Hall
TICKETS: Free Admission
Join us for an evening with artist Hayashi Kaku, a featured sculptor in Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan. In conversation with Colin Pearson, the Museum’s Curator of Asian Art, Kaku will discuss the avant-garde spirit of the exhibition and share personal insights into her creative practice, her time-intensive process, and the philosophical ideas that shape her work.
About the Artist
Born in Taiwan in 1953, Hayashi Kaku studied at Tokyo University of the Arts under “Living National Treasures” Fujimoto Yoshimichi Nōdō and Tamura Kōichi. Her work is celebrated for its physical power and demanding execution; she meticulously kneads and shapes clay, bending the material to her will until a dynamic, expressive form emerges. Her sculptures are characterized by undulating surfaces, intricate linear patterns, and high-contrast glazes in striking shades of iron red, yellow, and metallic.
Kaku’s practice is a deep exploration of nature’s duality, capturing both the variable and immobile forces of the world around her. Many of her works are inspired by the spiritual significance of the Kegon waterfall near her home and studio in Tochigi Prefecture.
Beyond her artistic mastery, Kaku is a trailblazer in ceramic science. As a long-time professor at Bunsei University, she established the ceramics program and led a research team to develop a now-patented firing technique using Kan-taro, a volcanic glass mineral. This innovation significantly shortens drying times and reduces the risk of breakage during the firing process, a development that has become indispensable to leading ceramic artists worldwide.
A prominent figure in contemporary Japanese ceramics, Hayashi Kaku has received numerous prestigious commissions, including a multi-panel installation for Mibu City Hall. Her work is held in major international collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park.