81. Kenji Gomi  五味 謙二

Kenji Gomi was born in 1978 in Chino, Nagano Prefecture and studied ceramics at Waseda University in Tokyo, after which he specialized in Okinawa studying "Tsuboya-yaki," an ancient ceramic technique. He lives and works in Kasama, Ibaraki. Kenji Gomi draws inspiration from the primitive pottery of the Jomon culture, the Japanese Stone Age, which he was introduced to as a child through the many excavations conducted in his hometown of Chino. Many people laid out a collection, and one of the oldest memories from his childhood is the room in which his grandfather's collection of Jomon pottery was on display. To him, these relics from thousands of years ago still carry the essence of the people who made them. In his work, Kenji Gomi explores the essence of ceramics, building on the legacy as left by the Jōmon people. Kenji Gomi's technique is not that different from the technique of the time, but is focused on creating unique pieces, combining uniqueness and universality. His unique organic curved forms combine with a serene texture and a predominantly black, gray, white or earthy color scheme, created by not using artificial glazes, but allowing the clay's oxides to react during the firing process. His sculptures are timeless, modern but resting on the legacy of ceramists from the distant past.
Kenji Gomi has received many honors and awards over the years, including the Grand Prize (Katsuranomiya Trophy) at the 25th Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition in 2019 and the Takashimaya Foundation in 2020. His work is also included in the collection of renowned museums such as the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Gifu and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.