Takuro Kuwata (b. 1981, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan) began studying under ceramist Susumu Zaima in 2002. He currently works in Toki City, Gifu Prefecture, where he has established his studio. With the bold figuration and pop-infused lively colors, the prolific artist revitalizes the techniques and beauty of traditional Japanese ceramics in his works. Kuwata’s unique approaches include his employment of certain glazing techniques such as Kairagi and Ishihaze which have been developed within the historical genealogy of ceramics for tea ceremonies. In 2015, he presented a large-scale object within Isamu Noguchi’s Heaven, an indoor stone garden at the entrance of the Sogetsu Headquarters Building. Kuwata’s works have been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions in various cities worldwide including New York, Brussels, and London. As he straddles the worlds of ceramics and contemporary art, his future activities are something to be closely followed.