Biography
Cinnabar Water Dropper
As a boy, Shin Fujihira (b. 1922) came of age under the influence of his father, who established the Fujihira Pottery Company in 1916 in Gojozaka, the main pottery district in the city of Kyoto.
Diagnosed with tuberculosis after the outbreak of the Pacific War, Fujihira struggled during his early adulthood, narrowly recovering from near death. Through this time, Fujihira turned towards art as motivation, and this passion was revitalizing. For Fujihira—who sadly passed in 2012 after a long, successful career—pottery was an escape from depression; an opportunity to transformation his appreciation for the joys of life.
Works
Exhibitions
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Kogei: The Art of Japanese craft
Summer Selections from Ippodo Gallery, New York 5 - 27 Aug 2021The Japanese festival of Obon ( お盆) traces back to ancient Chinese and Buddhist rituals that honor one’s ancestors. It is believe that this time every year, the ancestor’s spirits...Read more -
A Lotus in Bloom
The Beauty That Rises 10 Jun - 10 Jul 2020Lotus: Beauty that Rises from the Mud Growing out of muddy water, the lotus produces flowers that represent purity and clarity, resulting its use as a symbol of Buddha’s wisdom....Read more -
Ethereal Clay
Ceramic works by Shin Fujihira 13 Jun - 21 Jul 2019Read more
Publications
Events
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TEFAF Maastricht 2026
14 - 19 Mar 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Authentic Colors of Japan MAASTRICHT, NETHERLANDS – Ippodo Gallery is pleased to announce its debut participation in TEFAF Maastricht 2026, presenting a landmark exhibition titled Authentic Colors of Japan at Booth 476. From March 14 to March 19, the exhibition will feature masterful objects by 20 of Japan’s most distinguished contemporary artists. Their creations evoke vivid pigments sourced from nature and explore the primal power of color through the nation’s rarest traditional materials. This showcase of authentic Japanese colors offers visitors an encounter with a spectrum of mediums: the deep reds of vermillion lacquer, the luminescence of Gofun white from oyster shells, the brilliance of gold and silver leaf, and the depth of indigo blue. The exhibition highlights how ancient techniques are being radically recontextualized for global contemporary audiences: cutting edge mother-of-pearl inlays are naturally luminescent like digital screens; revolutionary silk Obi belts woven with opal incorporate the thousand-year history of Japanese weaving with new understanding of minerals; and masterworks in bamboo, Nihonga painting, and clay are grounded in the earthy, tactile aesthetics of the Japanese landscape. "To witness these artworks is to see the 'colors' of Japan not as mere pigments, but as living history," says Shoko Aono, the director of Ippodo Gallery. "In presenting pieces by these 20 esteemed artists in Maastricht, we are showcasing a mastery that is at once ancient and avant-garde." Exhibiting artists: Shin Fujihira, Shihoko Fukumoto, Kondaya Genbey, Yuki Hayama, Hideaki Honma, Terumasa Ikeda, Manji Inoue, Hajime and Yasuo Ishikura, Hiromi Itabashi, Yukiya Izumita, KAKU, Sho Kishino, Hirotomi Maeda, Masaaki Miyasako, Jihei Murase, Daisuke Nakano, Junko Narita, Reiji Omori, Hiraku Sudo, Shion Tabata, and Sōyō and Shōdo Yamagishi.Read more -
Design Miami 2024
3 - 8 Dec 2024New Winds in Japanese Art & Design Presenting at Design Miami for the third consecutive year, Ippodo Gallery introduces new interpretations and explorations of tradition...Read more -
Salon Art & Design 2024
Park Avenue Armory 7 - 11 Nov 2024Ippodo Gallery debuts at Salon Art + Design the concept Growing Roots: The Next Generation of Japanese Art featuring a range of works made of...Read more -
Design Miami 2023
Forms and Formations 5 - 12 Dec 2023Booth G35 Ippodo Gallery presents Forms and Formations , featuring great names in contemporary Japanese fine art at Design Miami 2023 from December 5 to...Read more
Blog
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Design Miami/ 2023 Recap
February 19, 2024Ippodo Gallery’s presence at Design Miami/ for a second year is met with rave reviews. We are so grateful for the enthusiastic responses of our...Read more -
The Way of Scent "Koh do"
September 14, 2021Incense has been used worldwide for millenniums, not only for its wonderful stimulating smell but also medicinal. Although the notion of scent's ability to heal...Read more