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Lot 13Thomas Kakinuma, OwlThomas Kakinuma, Owl, stoneware
Condition: a bit of damage on beak, see photos.
At 6" tall this very simple owl figure is instantly recognizable as a Kakinuma owl. Kakinuma produced several of these endearing sculptures of mostly birds, but also other animals. Over time, these little character pieces have become highly collectible.
Thomas Kakinuma is an intriguing figure in British Columbia's ceramics history. He was a highly regarded potter and sculptor in the 1950s and 1960s, and throughout his working life, he received recognition across Canada and internationally.
Born and raised in Japan, Kakinuma immigrated to Vancouver in 1937, intending to become an artist and to eventually study in Paris. World War II interrupted his plans and he ended up in Toronto where he studied painting and drawing at the Ontario College of Art (OCA). He graduated with honours in 1947, then studied painting under Yasuo Kuniyoshi at the Art Students League in New York. After rejecting painting as a viable career, he turned his attention to ceramics, studying again at OCA and then at the University of British Columbia, where he would later teach ceramics at the Pottery Hut. While Kakinuma produced a variety of wares, he was well-known for producing small and endearing figurative works, such as cats, penguins, fish and birds.
Kakinuma won several awards including a Canada Arts Council Senior Fellowship grant in 1960 to study in Japan and Mexico: his works from this time reflect his experiences fusing both Japanese and Mexican influences. In 1962, he won a silver medal at the International Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramics in Prague. The Ceramic Art of Thomas Kakinuma was the artist's first substantial retrospective and offered a rare opportunity to see works from public and private collections. The exhibition was organized by the West Vancouver Museum, in collaboration with the Kakinuma Family, Debra Evelyn Sloan, Dr. Carol E. Mayer, Allan Collier and Stacy Laviolette.
Estimate$400 - $600
Final Bid
$245
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