SHAPIRO Jeff, ceramics, permanent artist of Galerie Capazza since 2012

Perspective, Context, and Relativity

« I look with the intent of perceiving the artistic elements of what I am viewing rather than the intellectual dissection of information. To that end, I want to be moved and inspired, and respond to the potential of experiences I encounter.
I approach the process of making as a creative process giving myself the freedom to improvise, or run with an idea and see where it takes me, to keep the work alive and evolving. If I do not approach my work in this way, then the work stagnates and will precipitate the beginning of the end, which leads to a slow artistic death.
I am interested in making my own work more fluid. This may be the result of softer clay, or more spontaneous forming techniques: less attention spent on technical perfection and more time spent on understanding the ‘wholistic’ approach to concept, material and process. I want to create in a place of ‘abandonment’.
In the wood fire genre, the romanticism of the firing effects often dictates or overshadows the other aspects of the work. But actually, the material and forming process, as well as surface color and texture must be compatible. The firing alone cannot make up for weaknesses that may exist in either the clay character or forming process.
I respond to the beauty that exists in the imperfections of Nature; a sense that perfection and symmetry as we know it is but one form of beauty, but in actuality, beauty exists. It is for us to behold, discover and expand our vision to appreciate a beauty that exists outside of a predetermined western perception.
A torn leaf… a crack in a cement wall… a twisted branch…a shaft of lightning cutting through the night sky, all have the potential to be dimensions of beauty that feed the artistic soul and creative process.

Jeff Shapiro

Biography

1949
Born in Bronx, New York

1972 - 1980
Work/Study in Japan

1981
Built and set up kiln site with Anagama kiln, Accord, NY

Present
Living in Upstate New York with his wife Hinako

Read more

Public collections

Carlo Zauli Museum, Faenza, Italy
Sèvres Museum of Ceramics, France
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA
The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA, USA
American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA, USA
The Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC, USA
Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY, USA
Fuller Museum, Brockton, MA, USA
Currier Museum, Manchester, NH, USA
Boca Raton Contemporary Art Museum, Boca Raton, FL, USA
Arkansas Art Center and The Decorative Arts Museum, Little Rock, AK, USA
Kajima International, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA
Mary Burke Collection of Art, New York, NY, USA
The Longhouse Foundation, Easthampton, NY, USA
University Art Collection, State University of New York, New Paltz, NY, USA

Read more

Selected exhibitions

2021 Solo exhibition at Joan B Mirviss Gallery

2020 Solo exhibition at Lucy Lacoste Gallery Contemporary Ceramics
Lacoste/Keane Gallery, Concord, MA - solo exhibition

2019 Huntington Museum of Art, WV - solo exhibition
Akar Gallery Yunomi exhibition

2017 Saratoga Ceramic Art Center, Saratoga, NY
Augen Gallery, Portland,OR
Blue Spiral Gallery, Ashville, NC

2016 The Second Biannual International Ceramic Exhibition, St Cirque, Switzerland

2015  Clay Art Center, Portchester, NY
Akar Gallery, Iowa City, IA
Lacoste Gallery, Concord, MA

2014  PS 209 Gallery, Stone Ridge, NY. 3 person exhibition with Martin Puryear and Christopher Kurtz
Oxford Ceramic Gallery, Oxford, England
Kakiden Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Lacoste Gallery, Concord, MA
Saint-Sulpice Ceramic Fair, Paris, France

2013  Kakiden Gallery, Tokyo, Japan with Claude Champy and Tsujimura Shiro
Galleria Comunale D’ Arte, Faenza, Italy
Saint Sulpice Ceramic Fair, Paris, France

2012  Lacoste Gallery, Concord, MA
Capazza Gallery, Nancay, France
Golden Bridge Pottery Gallery, Pondicherry, India

2011  S.O.F.A. NY, Lacoste Gallery
Kakiden Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2010  Tenmaya Gallery, Okayama Japan   Marianne Heller Gallery, Heidelberg, Germany: 2 person exhibition with Living National
Treasure Isezaki Jun
Lacoste Gallery, Concord, MA
Kleinart Gallery, Woodstock, NY
Yanagi Gallery, NYC, NY 3 person exhibition with Claude Champy and Tsujimura Shiro

2009  Aberystwyth, Wales

2008  Shino exhibition, Girossen, France
Marianne Heller Gallery, Heidelberg, Germany with Uwe Loellmann and Isezaki Jun

2007  Palazzo Bricherasio, Torino, Italy
SOFA NY, Lacoste Gallery, New York, NY
Fuller Museum, Brockton, MA

2006  Lacoste Gallery, Concord,MA Cross Generational Isezaki lineage
Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, IA

2003  La Medusa Exhibition, Este, Italy

2002  National School of Art, Canberra, Australia
Ceramic Art Gallery, Sydney, Australia

2000  Kuroda Toen Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Central Gallery, Osaka, Japan

1998  Kuroda Toen Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Tenmaya Department Store Gallery, Okayama, Japan

1997  Tenmaya Department Store Gallery, Okayama, Japan

1996  Matsuzakaya Department Store Gallery, Nagoya, Japan

1995  Takashimaya Department Store Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1993  Takashimaya Department Store Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

Read more
For a better view, please turn your smartphone.