WKM Gallery is pleased to present Forms of Becoming, an exhibition of Japanese ceramics featuring artists Osamu Inayoshi, Takumi Morozumi, Tomohisa Obana, and Tomoko Obana. All based in regions with long ceramic traditions, these four artists draw on inherited customs not as a rulebook but as a point of departure, approaching clay through a contemporary lens and using it as a foundation for personal expression and conceptual exploration.

Ceramics in Japan have long existed at the intersection of utility and aesthetic philosophy. Many central values of the culture are reflected in the craft: a deep reverence for nature, an appreciation of imperfection and ambiguity, and respect for the humble beauty within simple forms. From this core, distinct identities arose across geographies in response to local clay and firing environments.

The exhibition navigates a veritable map of Japan's ceramic heritage, with each artist engaging with the history of their respective region: Morozumi is based in Shigaraki, one of Japan’s most famous ceramic centers; Tomohisa Obana and Tomoko Obana in Iga, home to the ancient Igayaki pottery tradition; and Inayoshi in the Atsumi peninsula, birthplace of Atsumiyaki stoneware. These regional differences shape each artist’s practice, the form and finish of their works influenced by different types of clay, firewood and kilns. Yet each artist puts their own contemporary spin on these traditions, incorporating their own subjective emotions, identities, and interpretations.

You and your organisation are cordially invited to the opening reception on 22 November 2025, Saturday, at 3 - 7 pm. Additionally, online interview will be available upon request. Media representatives are welcome to e-mail info@wkm.gallery to submit their requests for arrangements.