Chautauqua Sesquicentennial Jar
No Longer Available
Completed
2024
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
17”x14”x14”
Description
My vessel and tile work are a commentary based on contemporary issues using historical Chinese decorative techniques learned from my twenty-plus years of research in the imperial porcelain capital of Jingdezhen, China. When I reflect on my experience at the Chautauqua Institution as an artist, the freedom of expression stands out as a core value. As President Michael Hill notes, Chautauqua’s legacy is about “the free exchange of ideas and the belief that society is stronger when we do that.” Through teaching, exhibiting, and learning at the institution, my family has had the privilege to engage in the four pillars of the Chautauqua Movement. These two vessels, which I created to commemorate the institution’s sesquicentennial celebration in 2024, mark a historic event reaffirming Chautauqua’s commitment to exploring the best in values and enriching lives through programs like the lecture event with Henry Reese and Salman Rushdie. The celebration of community, and the integration of the arts into our lives through lifelong learning, inspired these two commemorative vessels.
About this Artist
Shoji Satake
Shoji Satake is an Associate Professor and area head of ceramics at West Virginia University School of Art & Design and Coordinator of the School’s ceramics in China program. He has taught at Indiana University, Hope College, and Central Michigan University. Shoji has served as one of the Directors-at-Large for the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Board, he was one of the on-site coordinator (NCECA Pittsburgh 2018). He has conducted workshops, given lectures and exhibited nationally and internationally. His most recent activities have been included in the 2017 Whitney Biennial, group exhibition at Red Lodge Cay Center, and induction into the International Academy of Ceramics (Official NGO of UNESCO). His residencies have included numerous locales in China, Japan, Canada, and in the United States. Shoji in addition to teaching, maintains an active studio practice with studios in West Virginia and Jingdezhen. When he is not actively…
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