Last updated on 2026-04-15
My impressions of viewing “Presence in Between – Third Generation Miyanaga Tozan III, Miyanaga Kotaro, and Miyanaga Aiko,” an exhibition by three members of the Miyanaga family, held at Mizuma Art Gallery in March 2026.
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Table of contents
Exhibition Overview
- Exhibition Title: “Presence in Between – The Third Generation of Miyanaga Tozan III, Miyanaga Kotaro, and Miyanaga Aiko”
- Dates: March 11 (Wed) – April 11 (Sat), 2026
- Opening Hours: 11:00 – 19:00 (Until 17:00 on the last day)
- Location: Mizuma Art Gallery
- Admission: Free
Impression: “The accumulated history of a family of pottery makers”する歴史」
This exhibition, curated by Aiko Miyanaga, is a collaborative work by her father, the third-generation Miyanaga Tozan, her brother Kotaro, and Aiko herself—a monumental exhibition created jointly by the family.
On the opening day, March 12th, the 90-year-old third-generation Miyanaga Tozan himself visited the exhibition venue from Kyoto.
Furthermore, Aiko Miyanaga was present at the gallery during the first weekend, allowing me to view the works while discussing them with her.
To describe the explanations I received, the largest installation space features ceramics by the third-generation Miyanaga Tozan, with the installation itself handled by the brother and sister.
The most recent works by the third-generation Miyanaga Tozan on display in this exhibition date back to when he was 88 years old. He had wanted to create new works for this exhibition, but health issues prevented him from doing so. Hearing stories about her father truly reinforces the idea that creativity transcends age.
The exhibition stage features two mechanisms to beautifully showcase the artist’s father’s work. The first is graphite applied to the surface of the display table, which highlights the waves of light created by the overhead lighting illuminating the artwork. The second is water sprinkled on the table; the water not absorbed by the graphite acts as a mirror, reflecting different aspects of the artwork.
Because the water on the table evaporates, it is replenished every morning. The initial watering was done by the artist, but when the artist is absent, the gallery does it, meaning the water level varies depending on the day of your visit.
Also, don’t miss Trunk’s new work, “Presence in Between,” which is on display within the installation. This piece is a collaboration between Aiko Miyanaga’s glass and Tozan Miyanaga III’s ceramics, making it a joint work by father and daughter.
The glass book, “The Presence in Between,” displayed near the entrance, is a work in which the artist attempted to maintain the shape of embedded works by applying graphite to three pre-made pieces, “The Sea Sleeping in the Hollow: Mallet, Key, and Fan,” before pouring in glass. In this particular piece, the fan, perhaps due to its thinness, could not withstand the heat during manufacturing and its shape collapsed.
This production method was inspired by the graphite used by her brother, Kotaro Miyanaga, in the aforementioned installation, demonstrating the sibling connection.
The photo below shows the artist explaining the remaining “The Sea Sleeping in the Hollow: Mallet” using a smartphone light.
The back room is a solo exhibition area for Aiko Miyanaga, featuring three new works from her “Wrapping Poetry” series, “Wrapping Poetry: Silence in the Room (Higashiyama Kiln) Unglazed Pottery,” three “Wrapping Poetry: Silence in the Room (Higashiyama Kiln) Unglazed Pottery Fragments,” a photograph and inverted lettering drawing titled “The Beginning Landscape,” and “Dreams Returning to the Earth,” made by dyeing silk floss with ginkgo bark.
From what I heard, these four works contain a story of the Miyanaga family’s origins and history, and this exhibition seems to be an introduction to that story. One piece mentioned is that “Dreams Returning to the Earth” has a connection to the old family and the Kyoto Prefectural Library, where her solo exhibition was held in 2018, suggesting that perhaps an exhibition focusing on the Miyanaga family’s origins and history will be held in Kyoto someday.
Finally, the two “jars” placed outside are works by her brother, Kotaro Miyanaga. Aiko’s “Sea Sleeping in a Hollow – Key” is submerged in the “Small Vessel” jar on the road side. On the building side, a bridge made of bricks used in a kiln is placed in the “Vessel” jar, and seeds have been planted in the soil connecting the bricks, which we were told would sprout during the exhibition.
When I first visited on March 14th, it was just soil, but when I visited again on the 18th, many had sprouted. Neither Aiko Miyanaga nor the gallery staff knew what kind of plants had sprouted, so we will probably find out as the plants grow.
Summary
This exhibition, featuring a variety of works that convey a sense of family connection, is a fulfilling display showcasing Aiko Miyanaga’s new challenges and works that hold the potential for future development.
Even when the artist is absent, explanations about the works can be obtained from gallery staff.
Reference links
- Presence in Between – Miyanaga Tozan III, Miyanaga Kotaro, Miyanaga Aiko・Mizuma Art Gallery
- Aiko Miyanaga・Mizuma Art Gallery Artist Profiles
寄付のお願い・Request for donations
Affiliate links
- Aiko Miyanaga・Ads by Amazon
- Aiko Miyanaga・Ads by Rakuten
Photo Equipment
- SONY DSC-RX1
- LEICA T typ701 +SUMMILUX R 35mm +LR mount adapter
Update history
- 2026.3.18
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