Masakazu Soma

Born in Yokohama in 1949. In 1971, he moved to Okinawa and studied under the late Takaesu Ikuo (modern master craftsman and traditional craftsman), and entered the kiln as a potter apprentice. In 1975, he relocated to Onna village to build a kiln and became independent. In 1978, he relocated to Yomitan Zakimi and moved the kiln. He visited all over the world, studied hard, and was certified as a traditional craftsman by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in 2002.

The pottery kiln’s work, which features a party plate of millet ash glaze with tropical fish swimming in the blue sea,

also includes red paintings with Deigo flowers  motifs, fish patterns, baked nanban, and pottery made in Okinawa. It makes full use of the method, and you can feel a strong commitment.

EXIBITION

1980 Osaka Takashimaya solo exhibition(Osaka)

 　　 Selected for the 1981 Kokugakai Exhibition(Tokyo)

1986 Contemporary Okinawa Ceramic Art Exhibition, Bronze Award(Okinawa)

1990 Yokohama Yurindo Gallery Solo Exhibition (Kanagawa)

　　　Fukuoka Daimaru Department store Solo Exhibition (Fukuoka)

1991 Contemporary Okinawa Ceramic Art Exhibition Encouragement Award (Okinawa)

　　　Craft Center Japan Maruzen Gallery Okinawa Craft Designers Association “Subtropical Colors and Shapes” Exhibition Chairman (Okinawa)

1992 Fukuoka Tamaya Department store Okinawa Mitsukoshi Solo Exhibition (Okinawa)

1993 Appeared in NHK Life Reader “Burning the Heart of Okinawa”

1995 Okinawa Design Competition Excellence Award “Blue Coral” (Okinawa)

1998 25th Anniversary Exhibition “Group, Dance, Reef ” (Okinawa) at Ryubo Hall

1999 Mitsukoshi Debert Tea Ceramics Exhibition (Okinawa)

2001 Contemporary Okinawa Ceramic Art Exhibition Excellence Award (Okinawa)

2002 Kyoto / Kobe Daimaru Department Store Solo Exhibition (Kyoto) (Hyogo)

　　　Hokkaido Art Forest Works Exhibition (Hokkaido)

2005 Tokyu Plaza Ginza Plaza House Global Gallery Two-person Exhibition (Tokyo)

2007 Kyoto Honen-in solo exhibition “Nama Marashi Misore” (Kyoto)

2009 Yokohama Takashimaya Solo Exhibition (Kanagawa)

　　　Keio Department Stor Art Gallery Solo Exhibition “Ryukyu Nanban” (Tokyo)

2010 Keio Department Store Art Painting Seat Solo Exhibition “Ryukyu Minami Mitsu Exhibition” (Tokyo)

2011 Izutsuya Yamaguchi solo exhibition “Ryukyu Minami Mitsu Exhibition” (Yamaguchi)

2012 Kokura Izutsuya Solo Exhibition (Fukuoka)

　　　Saga Tamaya solo exhibition (Saga)

　　　Prefectural Museum and Museum “Ugyaa” Exhibition(Okinawa)

2016 Keisei Mito Department Stor Individual (Ibaraki)

AWARD

1982 The Okinawa Encouragement Award 

1986 Contemporary Okinawa Ceramic Art Exhibition, Bronze Award

　　  The Encouragement Award at the 

1991 Contemporary Okinawa Ceramic Art Exhibition

1995 Okinawa Design Competition Excellence Award “Blue Coral”

1996 The Okinawa Prefecture Secretary-General Award

2001 Contemporary Okinawa Ceramic Art Exhibition Excellence Award

2002 Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry certified as a traditional craftsman