TAMPA — “Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound,” a major exhibition that will survey six decades of the acclaimed ceramic artist’s work, will open on Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza. Tampa.
The exhibition marks Kaneko first large-scale presentation in Florida. The acclaimed Japanese-American artist is one of the most influential figures in contemporary ceramic sculpture. The exhibition will trace nearly six decades of Kaneko’s artistic development across large-scale ceramics, painting and drawing. It will continue through Aug. 23.
“Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound” brings together close to 50 works exemplifying Kaneko’s signature integration of monumental form, rhythmic pattern and a creative process shaped by what the artist describes as moments of “pause” or Ma — a concept rooted in Japanese aesthetics. This interval, he has explained, is as essential to the balance of an artwork as the gesture itself, creating the “silence before sound” that inspired the exhibition title.
Kaneko rose to prominence in the 1960s as part of the California Clay Movement, a group of artists who redefined ceramics as a sculptural medium. Early in his career, he shifted from painting to clay after encounters with collectors Fred and Mary Marer, whose home was filled with experimental ceramics. That discovery led to a lifelong exploration of scale and form, eventually culminating in the creation of some of the largest freestanding ceramic sculptures in the world.
His studio practice remains rigorous and physically demanding. Large works can take years to complete, moving through cycles of hand-building, drying, sanding, glazing, and firing in a massive kiln he commissioned specifically to accommodate the scale of his sculptures. The process requires both technical precision and the intuitive responsiveness that defines Kaneko’s philosophy.
Kaneko’s monumental Dango forms and oversized heads, which appear throughout the exhibition, illustrate his recurring interest in the relationship between surface and mass. Though physically imposing, the sculptures are marked by subtle variations in pattern and brushwork, creating tension between their weight and their visual rhythm. His approach reflects what he has described simply as creative necessity.
Born in Nagoya, Japan, in 1942, Kaneko moved to the United States at age 21. He studied at the Chouinard Art Institute and later held teaching positions at Scripps College, the Rhode Island School of Design and Cranbrook Academy of Art. Over the course of his career, he has completed numerous large-scale public commissions, including major works for urban landscapes, cultural institutions and opera productions. His practice now extends across ceramics, painting, drawing, glass, stage design and installation.
“Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound” highlights this breadth, presenting monumental forms alongside more intimate works that reveal the persistence of certain ideas across decades, namely, his pursuit of harmony, ambiguity and viewer interpretation. Kaneko often leaves his works untitled to encourage what he describes as “freedom of thinking,” trusting each viewer to respond from their own experience and perspective.
The exhibition is supported by Presenting Sponsor MUFG and organized by the Tampa Museum of Art in collaboration with the artist, his studio and the Ree & Jun Kaneko Foundation. “Silence Before Sound” offers a rare chance to encounter the evolution of an artist whose influence continues to reshape contemporary ceramic sculpture.
Established in 1920, the Tampa Museum of Art stands as a beacon of culture and education in the heart of downtown Tampa. Celebrating over a century of artistic excellence, the museum provides a welcoming space where everyone can connect through creativity, explore new perspectives, and find inspiration in exhibitions that range from ancient treasures to contemporary expressions. It proudly houses one of the most significant collections of Greek and Roman antiquities in the southeastern United States, as well as a vivid collection of modern and contemporary art encompassing sculpture, photography, painting, textiles, and new media.
For tickets and information, visit TampaMuseum.org or call 813-274-8130. The Tampa Museum of Art is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Thursdays, the museum offers extended hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.