PORTLAND, Ore. — January 31, 2022 —Portland Japanese Garden is delighted to share that its final art exhibition of 2022, Garden of Resonance: The Art of Jun Kaneko, will feature the work of internationally acclaimed artist Jun Kaneko (b. 1942). Kaneko, winner of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sculpture Center, has made major contributions to the field of sculptural art on a global scale, exploring the relationships between art, nature, and people with their bold scale and placement.
In October, Portland Japanese Garden will showcase works spanning this celebrated artist’s career. Kaneko’s famously large and vividly colored outdoor ceramic statues will be installed across our spectacular garden spaces, creating a stunning juxtaposition with the fiery reds and oranges of our maples in fall. This will be in addition to more intimate pieces from the nearly sixty years of Kaneko’s marvelous career, including sketches and drawings.
The Most Famous Artist You May Not Know by Name
Born in Nagoya, Japan, Kaneko first arrived to the United States in 1963 and studied ceramic art from the leaders of the American Clay Revolution, including icons such as Peter Voulkos, Paul Soldner, and Jerry Rothman. Kaneko, now an icon in his own right, is someone many might not know by name but may via his vivid and dazzling public installations. Since his first large scale commission in Omaha in 1983, Kaneko’s work has delighted people in several American cities including Detroit, Kansas City, Laramie, Las Vegas, New York, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. as well as locations around the world including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, England, Greece, China, and Japan.
While Kaneko’s dangos, named that because of their resemblance to Japanese dumplings, tanuki (Japanese racoon dogs), and massive heads are among his more well-known works, Kaneko has also designed sets and wardrobe for touring opera productions such as Madam Butterfly and has had his glass art featured in town squares, gardens, libraries, and houses of worship.
A Treat for Instagram Fans
Now based out of Omaha, Nebraska, Kaneko has traveled the world to learn new techniques that he has incorporated into an approach that produces ceramic art at a scale few of his contemporaries have attempted. Kaneko’s works are highly visual and extremely engaging. Paired with a backdrop of the world’s finest Japanese garden outside of Japan, families and shutterbugs alike will have an opportunity to take many amazing photos to share with their friends.
Info on the Exhibition:
- Opens October 1, 2022 and runs through January 8, 2023
- Included with Garden admission
- More information on Garden of Resonance can be found here
Media Contacts:
Will Lerner | 503-542-9351 | wlerner@japanesegarden.org
About Portland Japanese Garden:
Portland Japanese Garden is a nonprofit organization originally founded in 1963 as a place for cross-cultural understanding following World War II. A hallmark in the City of Portland, the Garden was founded on the ideals of peace and mutual understanding between peoples and cultures. Portland Japanese Garden is considered the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan and the foremost Japanese cultural organization in North America.