ARTISTS / Mai Kitai
Mai Kitai (b. 1985) was born in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa, Japan. She graduated from the Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramics Technical Training Institute in 2012 and obtained a postgraduate degree from Kanazawa College of Art in 2015. In 2014, she was awarded the Grand Prize at the Second Tenjin Festival 108 "Zojoji Modern Collection Award".
During her student years, Kitai focused on the theme of "circulation", exploring the growth of water, plants and animals, the circulation of decay and soil, and reincarnation. She also paid attention to things that hinder circulation. Later, Kitai turned to the theme of "discomfort in daily life" and expressed her creative thinking more freely in her recent works. She believes that her unique ideas from her student years are still deeply rooted in these works, but she now appreciates relying on her instincts with her hands for the creative process, rather than overthinking. Kitai personally completes all the processes from moulding the base to painting the design, and she strives for perfection in the shape and patterns of her works. Each of her works is full of originality and can make people smile unconsciously. They are like stories that fascinate people.
1985 Born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
2012 Graduated from Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramics Technical Training Institute
2014 Awarded the "Zojoji Modern Collection Award" at the Second Tenjin Festival 108
2015 Graduated from postgraduate program, Kanazawa College of Art, specialising in crafts
Selected Exhibitions:
2015 Rempah-Rempah Art Collection Exhibition, Art Shop, 1st Floor, Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan
2016-2017 Solo Exhibition at Iwataya, Fukuoka, Japan
2019 Modern Kutani-yaki Works Exhibition "Dancing Kutani and Kudo Studio" at Vima House, Taichung, Taiwan
2019 KUTANI Style Pottery Today at Sara Japanese Pottery, New York, USA
2021 Solo Exhibition at Issho Gallery, Higashiyama, Kanazawa City, Japan
2019-2022 Solo Exhibitions at Heming Arts, Hayama, Japan
2023 Dancing Kutani: Blooming and Resonance of Beauty, Touch Ceramics, Hong Kong