83. Shinya Tanoue  田上 真也

Born in 1976 in Kyoto, Shinya Tanoue initially studied theology before studying ceramics at Doshisha University and Kyoto Saga University of Arts. He was inspired by the ideas of the Sodeisha movement, which originated in Kyoto in 1948 but continued to exert its influence in Japanese ceramics until the turn of the century. Within the realm of his experimental ceramics, Shinya Tanoue seems to explore not only aesthetics but also the possibilities of representing spirituality and emotional depth in forms. His sculptures are simple and elegant, evoking silence and wonder. A recurring motif in Shinya Tanoue's work, is the shell shape, which to him symbolizes protection and survival, like a cocoon or an egg shell that closes around us, and nourishes us at the same time. His works, and more generally, working with clay for him coincides with life itself, he uses clay as a way to express the essence of existence.

Shinya Tanoue creates his work in the coil technique using different types of clay and slibs to achieve the desired effect. By cutting into the surface, he obtains a texture and relief that contrasts with the shiny blue glaze used to finish the inside. He associates the azure color with the depths of the sea, and the incised lines symbolize for him the specific pathways known in Traditional Chinese Medicine as meridians, along which Qi, the life energy, flows through the body.

Shinya Tanoue's work has received much recognition. He has participated in domestic and foreign exhibitions and he won the prestigious MINO International Ceramics Competition prize, among others. His work is in the collections of such important museums as the Museum of Kyoto, the Museum of Ceramic Art in Hyogo, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.