A rare and sublime collection of Shimizu Uichi’s work is presented on his centenary

Emma Crichton-Miller | The Design Edit | 9th June 2026

Shimizu, a Japanese ceramicist and Living National Treasure, was a “supreme technician” of glaze chemistry. Iron-rich glazes behave unpredictably when fired. The finest examples are miracles of artist and kiln and have a tradition separate from general ceramics. Unlike the wabi-sabi aesthetic of rustic Japanese ceramics, Shimizu’s pursued a modern style of great restraint where the glaze was his primary interest. But, it seems, he was not after perfection. If a piece is perfect, it “can lose its sense of life”.