Shozo Michikawa: The Forbidden City

In 2005, Shozo Michikawa was given the unprecedented honour, as a living Japanese artist, of exhibiting his work within the Forbidden City of Beijing.  Erskine, Hall & Coe will present a selection of the works from that exhibition, putting them on display for the first time since the original show.

“In 2005 I was the first foreign ceramic artist to be honoured with an exhibition at the Taimiao in the Forbidden City, Beijing, China.  More than 20,000 people attended.

The influence of Chinese techniques and culture, in relation to ceramics, was felt in Japan 1,300 years ago.  For me the Forbidden City exhibition was a return of that tradition to its source.

I am delighted that the works from the Forbidden City exhibition will now go on display in London, allowing people to look again at the mixing of Chinese and Japanese culture.” 

—Shozo Michikawa, 2015

The exhibition in the Forbidden City comprised of eighty-two works, and our display will feature more than half of these.

Michikawa was born in Hokkaido, the most northern region of Japan.  Following his graduation from Aoyama Gakuin University in 1975, he developed a career in business, and later took evening classes in art where he discovered his talent and passion for pottery.  A few years later, he decided to retire from business and focus on creating ceramics.

His ceramics are inspired by the natural scenery of his hometown; additionally, traditional Chinese culture has had a great impact on Michikawa’s artistic creativity.

The exhibition will be viewable from the 28th of October through the 26th of November, Monday through Saturday, and will be illustrated online and in a catalogue.