Tetsuya Yamada, a Tokyo-born artist currently based in the Twin Cities, creates work that defies easy categorization. Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of sources—from the traditional Japanese tea ceremony to artists like Constantin Brâncuși, Isamu Noguchi, and Marcel Duchamp—Yamada erases any clear boundaries between art, design, and craft. While his influences are varied, one consistent element in much of Yamada's work is his use of clay.
The present low table features a beautiful glazed ceramic top that sits on a minimalist steel base. These two elements complement each other in a seemingly contradictory way. Describing this paradox in Yamada’s work, Twylene Moyer wrote in Sculpture magazine, “The more you look, the deeper you descend into a tangle of oppositions…that is symptomatic of a more basic conflict between Yamada, the traditionally trained potter, and Yamada, the contemporary sculptor who transforms clay from its low earthiness into a sleek modernity.” The present low table perfectly exemplifies this visual tension.
In January 2024, the Walker Art Museum will present Tetsuya Yamada: Listening. This exhibition marks the first solo presentation of his work in the United States.
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner
Property from an Important International Collection