Jun Kaneko Monumental Ceramic Dango

Artist: Jun Kaneko
Title: Dango
Medium: Fired Clay Ceramic Sculpture
Size: 40" x 38" x 15"
Year: 2003
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

Jun Kaneko's "Dango" (2003) reflects the artist's longstanding engagement with scale, surface, and the expressive potential of ceramic form. Part of his well-known Dango series—monumental, rounded sculptures whose name references the Japanese word for "dumpling"—this work exemplifies Kaneko's ability to merge sculptural presence with painterly abstraction. Measuring 40 x 38 x 15 inches, the piece maintains the softly swollen silhouette characteristic of the series, a shape that offers a neutral yet vital ground for the artist's complex surface investigations.

The sculpture's fired-clay body is enveloped in a dynamic pattern of black and white linear elements. These alternating stripes, arranged in shifting orientations, create a sense of rhythmic movement across the form's gently curved volume. Rather than conforming to the sculpture's contours, the stripes assert their own logic, producing a subtle visual tension between the object's three-dimensional mass and the graphic flatness of its surface design. This interplay echoes Kaneko's broader interest in the balance between order and spontaneity, as well as his exploration of how pattern interacts with scale to shape perception.

Kaneko's meticulous glazing and firing processes are central to the work's character. The surface reveals slight tonal variations and evidence of hand application, underscoring the materiality of the ceramic while reinforcing the artist's sensitivity to craft traditions. At the same time, the bold geometric motif situates the piece within a lineage of modern abstraction, highlighting Kaneko's ability to bridge the ceramic studio with broader conversations in contemporary sculpture and painting.

Accompanied by a Gallery Certificate of Authenticity, "Dango" stands as a representative example of Kaneko's mature practice, demonstrating how the artist transforms clay into an arena for both physical monumentality and refined optical engagement.

About Jun Kaneko

Jun Kaneko (b. 1942) is a Japanese-American ceramic artist recognized for his contributions to contemporary sculpture and large-scale ceramic practice. Working primarily in Omaha, Nebraska, Kaneko has developed a body of work that explores the relationship between form, surface, and space through monumental hand-built ceramics. His signature "Dangos"—rounded, freestanding forms often exceeding human scale—exemplify his sustained investigation into the possibilities and limitations of clay as a sculptural medium. These works, along with his large ceramic wall panels and installations, have established Kaneko as a leading figure in postwar ceramic art.

Kaneko's practice is rooted in a process-driven approach that incorporates coil building, extended drying periods, and multiple firings. The technical challenges of producing works of this scale have led him to collaborate closely with industrial kilns and experimental firing methods, allowing him to achieve the surfaces and dimensions characteristic of his mature style. His sculptures are defined by controlled glazes, graphic patterns, and layered mark-making, which create a dialogue between the object's physical mass and its surface rhythm. The interaction of scale and surface patterning is central to Kaneko's work and reflects his interest in perception, balance, and the viewer's spatial experience.

In addition to ceramics, Kaneko has produced work in glass, bronze, and painting, and has completed major public art commissions across the United States. His multidisciplinary practice has placed him within broader discourses of contemporary sculpture, craft, and design. Museums worldwide have exhibited his ceramics, and his large-scale works frequently appear in outdoor and architectural settings, underscoring their connection to site and environment.

Jun Kaneko's career has significantly expanded the expressive capacity of ceramics, demonstrating how large-format clay sculpture can operate within both fine art and public art contexts. His contributions continue to shape the field of contemporary ceramics and influence artists working at the intersection of material experimentation and monumental form.