October 14 - November 5, 2006
JUN KANEKO: Beyond Butterfly
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Jun Kaneko is one of the most dynamic and versatile contemporary artists working today. Celebrated for his ceramic sculptures, monumental bronze heads and cast-glass structures, Kaneko creates dramatic and powerful works that redefine sculptural traditions. The Dayton Art Institute is proud to present JUN KANEKO: Beyond Butterfly, an extraordinary selection of life-size ceramics and cast glass towers.
An installation of three individual glass structures reflects Kaneko's ongoing interest in color, pattern, and repetition. Vibrant red, yellow, and blue towers, built from cast-glass rods stacked perpendicular to one another like log cabins, radiate in the darkened gallery. Their weightlessness contrasts sharply with the substantiality of Kaneko's ceramics.
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Three imposing ceramic Dangos (pronounced DUN-goes and meaning “sweet dumplings” in Japanese) convey a human-like presence positioned between the columns of the museum’s Great Hall. Ranging in height from six to seven feet tall and weighing nearly 1200 pounds each, the deceptively simple forms are significant technical achievements created from thick slabs of clay that can take four months to dry and up to 35 days to fire. Each Dango is skillfully glazed in a range of geometric and expressive patterns, creating a union between sculpture and painting.
Recently Kaneko collaborated with Opera Omaha to create set and costume designs for a new production of Giacomo Puccini's beloved opera Madame Butterfly. In conjunction with the debut of this production by the Dayton Opera at the Schuster Center in October 2006, The Dayton Art Institute is proud to present this companion exhibition.