Seattle
The works in Akio Takamori’s recent show revealed a strangely somber and perplexing side to this usually exuberant ceramic artist, examining the rituals of male public behavior. These were the last works that he produced before succumbing to a long bout with cancer last year. Idiosyncratic and characterized by masterful technique, Takamori’s work is also known for a perilous awkwardness, which often doubles as self-examination. The array of inspiration is free-ranging, his subjects all filtered through wide-open eyes. In this show, however, there were no exquisite copies of Goya or Velázquez, no Japanese villagers created out of old photos, memories, and imagination. Takamori took the title of the show, “Apology/Remorse,” from his observations on recent American politics. …see the entire review in the print version of sept’s Sculpture magazine.
