(Sue Vase) c. late 20th century

Shiromoto Kazue created this Sue Vase, in Japan, using stoneware. Kazue emerged as an artist in a period marked by intense negotiations between tradition and modernity. Her choice of Sue ware, an ancient Japanese pottery style dating back to the 5th century, places her work in conversation with a long history of ceramic art. Yet, as a female artist in a field often dominated by men, Kazue's engagement with Sue ware also represents a reclamation of cultural heritage through a gendered lens. Kazue expertly marries the rough, earthy textures of traditional Sue ware with a refined, contemporary sensibility. The vase is not merely a functional object; it embodies memory, history, and identity, linking us to past traditions while remaining firmly rooted in the present.