Ceramic and Dynamic
An artist with an elegant, whimsical touch and fondness for polka dots, Jun Kaneko was born in Japan in 1942 and arrived in the United States in the 1960s. He studied with abstract-expressionist sculptor Peter Voulkos among other notables and became associated with the contemporary ceramics movement. He now lives in Omaha. His work is included in more than 40 museum collections. The return of
The Magic Flute to the San Francisco Opera brings with it the production designs of Kaneko — lively, colorful animated digital projections, costumes, and stage props. In conjunction with the occasion, Rena Bransten Projects, also features art by Kaneko in the form of an installation of ceramic works. Particularly vivid and fun are the exhibit’s tanuki sculptures — boldly colored, peculiar-looking, hand-painted renditions of raccoon dogs from Japanese folklore. Some are the size of adult humans. Also on display are hand-glazed cast raku ceramic wall slabs and a video loop of costume drawings from the 2012 production of
The Magic Flute.
— Anita Katz
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