McClain Gallery will present an eponymous exhibition by the Hawaiian-born artist Toshiko Takaezu. The celebrated master ceramicist is known for her experimental approach to abstraction, wherein she explored tactility, sound, and dynamic mark-making. While Takaezu drew influence from a multitude of sources, including the traditions of East Asia and Abstract Expressionism, she pushed the boundaries of craft to develop a bold visual language that was all her own. This exhibition features an array of signature sculptures spanning the 1960s to the 1990s.

Takaezu brilliantly merged painting, sculpture, and pottery in her closed forms, a longstanding fixture in her oeuvre. In the 1950s, she began throwing clay on the wheel and deliberately enclosing the vessels, save for a small opening at their tips. Her act of closure distinguished these sculptures from their more traditional and functional counterparts. Closed forms exist in a wide range of scales; from as small as four inches to monumental works that tower at over six feet, a testament to her masterful handling of clay.

Their curved surfaces showcase layered and veiled glazes in a palette inspired by colors seen in nature – particularly from her native Hawai’i. Takaezu often paid homage to the vibrant Pacific ocean bordering the coastal town of Mākaha. Untitled, ca. 1970s, with its striking matte blue surface and black glossy band at its base, is a classic representation of her use of blue glaze. Others are atmospheric: suggestive of foggy landscapes and ink paintings. Notably, the broad and tall Untitled, ca.1990s-2000s, is grounded in ochre and washes of darker striated glaze.

The exhibition will remain on display through May 3.