Gaku Nakane

Material : Pottery clay
Area : Higashi-Omi, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Born in 1995 in Shiga, Gaku Nakane is a ceramic artist whose work is deeply influenced by the passage of time and the natural world. Raised by artisan parents, Nakane graduated from Kyoto Municipal Dohda Arts and Crafts High School in 2014 and Kyoto Prefectural Ceramics Technical Institute in 2016, before undertaking a five-year apprenticeship under Masahiko Ichino, one of Japan’s leading modern ceramicists. Nakane has garnered numerous awards for his unique and evolving work.

Inspired by the landscapes surrounding his idyllic countryside home, Nakane’s art reflects the textures and colors of nature—worn surfaces of rocks, trees, and old tools, which embody the effects of time. His pieces, featuring intricate surfaces and beautiful cracks, evoke a sense of temporality and a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the user. Nakane is fascinated by the "ambiguities of boundaries," exploring the relationship between handmade forms and those shaped by nature—“a vessel like a stone, and a stone like a vessel.”

His work continues to evolve daily as he refines his technique and sensibility, always looking forward to the unique pieces that emerge from the kiln. Nakane’s dedication to exploring the beauty of aging and his connection to nature and tradition make his ceramics a profound reflection of time, memory, and craftsmanship.