New Asian art becomes the talk of the town each spring -- not just in Tokyo or Beijing -- but in New York City where its annual Asia Week is now in full sway. Exhibitions abound in the Big Apple with some of the world's top dealers offering their treasures to collectors who visit from around the world. Needless to say, Japanese art is well-represented in all genres.
What is a delight to see each year is the increase in awareness and interest in contemporary Japanese ceramic art as more and more private collectors and museums are acquiring top-level contemporary Japanese ceramic art. There are a few reasons behind this, being that fine antique works are getting harder and harder to acquire. A second is that information on what is happening today in the Japanese ceramic scene is more readily available in English, and collectors armed with knowledge feel more empowered and confident to purchase.
There are a few dealers who have offered new clay pieces alongside their more expensive antiques, more out of their own love of the medium than for any monetary gain. The premier New York dealer in this latter category is Joan Mirviss of Joan B. Mirviss Ltd (see www.mirviss.com/ ). For the International Asian Art Fair (see the Web site at: www.haughton.com ), being held April 1-6 at The Seventh Regiment Armory Park Avenue on 67th Street, Mirviss will introduce the first-ever exhibition outside of Japan of the stunning celadon world of Shinobu Kawase.