COVERCHORD EXCLUSIVE
KOJI KITAOKA's Solo Exhibition
at COVERCHORD Nakameguro
Quiet yet captivating vessels that blend into any lifestyle.
KOJI KITAOKA's first solo exhibition at COVERCHORD Nakameguro.
Friday 20th December – Tuesday 24th December.
COVERCHORD Nakameguro will host KOJI KITAOKA's solo exhibition.
After working in a corporate role, KOJI KITAOKA followed in his father’s footsteps to pursue a career in pottery. In 2010, he established his own practice in his hometown of Fukuoka. Since then, he has been dedicated to creating vessels with simple forms and rich, expressive depth.
His works possess a simplicity and comfort that seamlessly blend into any lifestyle, all while exuding an elegant presence.
Each vessel is carefully crafted by balancing the thickness of the slip to highlight the clay’s natural qualities, the blend and combination of glazes, and the ideal firing method. The result is a unique character in every piece, with no two textures or colors alike.
From the popular BLUE BLACK series, crafted with black clay, to new works exploring shades of white through blends of Kyushu's iron-rich red clay and various ash glazes, KOJI KITAOKA’s first solo exhibition at COVERCHORD will feature approximately 700 pieces of functional pottery designed to complement everyday life. We invite you to experience these richly expressive vessels, which only grow more cherished with use.
This feature focuses on the theme of various “hands” that shape daily life, captured through portraits.
May the vessels shaped by KITAOKA’s hands connect with many others, across generations and genders, sharing their warmth through touch.
To shape and to breathe life into.
Picture Book Writer
Shinsaku Nagata
Instagram_@shinsaku.nagata
To connect and to weave.
Mother and Son
Yoko and Fuyu Tani
Instagram_@yoko_tani
Instagram_@innat_official
To arrange and to align.
Landscaper
Tadayuki Kiriyama
To imagine and to embody.
Choreographer
Erika Taniguchi
Instagram_@erika_torith
Café au Lait Bowl - Line Pattern Blue Black _ ¥2,600
To carry and to stack.
Elderly Couple
Masayoshi and Tokuko Nakamura
To hold and to tie.
Culinarian / OMUSUBI PARLOR MOS EISLEY...
Yoshiaki Katada
Instagram_@katter_yossi
Instagram_@mos_eisley_omusubi_parlor
Friday 20th December – Tuesday 24th December
KOJI KITAOKA's Solo Exhibition
Friday 20th December – Tuesday 24th December 2024
11:00 – 19:00
The artist is scheduled to be in attendance on Friday 20th December.
Available online starting the same day.
COVERCHORD Nakameguro
1-23-14 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Instagram_@coverchord nakameguro
KOJI KITAOKA
Born in 1978 in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
After graduating from the Arita Ceramic School, he trained in Toki, Gifu Prefecture.
In 2010, he established his own practice in his hometown of Fukuoka.
"To create simple, quietly captivating works with my own hands,
and to have as many people as possible use and enjoy them."
With this intention, he creates simple, functional vessels that seamlessly complement the dining table.
Instagram_@kojikitaoka
Artist's Note - On the Solo Exhibition
Since receiving the opportunity for this solo exhibition, time has flown by. I began creating in late September, as the hot summer came to an end.
As this is my first exhibition at COVERCHORD, I carefully considered how to approach the collection. I chose to build on familiar forms I’ve created before, while introducing new colors and textures to bring fresh depth to the work.
For this exhibition, I used ash collected last winter for the first time.
With new glazes, it often takes time to fully grasp their character, but this time I was able to understand them fairly early on. As a result, many pieces unexpectedly revealed beautiful and unique expressions.
The work came together just as the short autumn turned to winter. Looking back, I realize how much excitement and joy the process brought me. I truly hope many people will come and see the pieces.
