Takuro Kuwata is a Japanese ceramicist known for his distinctive approach that blends traditional Japanese ceramic techniques with experimental processes and a vivid, contemporary visual language. Born in Hiroshima in 1981, Kuwata studied at Kyoto Saga Art College and later apprenticed under master potter Susumu Zaima. He is currently based in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture — a region renowned for its ceramic traditions. While deeply rooted in historical practices, Kuwata’s work departs from conventional forms and aesthetics, favoring an expressive and unconventional style that celebrates spontaneity, surface, and transformation. Kuwata’s ceramics are shaped by the interplay of control and unpredictability. Working with clays mixed with stones, he embraces the unexpected results that emerge in the firing process — where surfaces crack, burst, and erupt under heat. Glazes are applied in thick, colorful layers that drip, melt, and harden with intensity, creating a highly tactile and visually dynamic finish. Although many of his pieces take the form of traditional vessels, their functionality often gives way to sculptural exuberance. Despite the boldness of his visual language, Kuwata remains committed to the traditions of Japanese craft. His practice represents a balance between reverence for the past and a desire to reflect the culture and energy of the present moment. Kuwata’s work has been shown widely in Japan and internationally. In 2018, he received a special mention as a finalist for the LOEWE Craft Prize, and in 2015 he was awarded a grant from the Arts Council Tokyo for a solo project at Sogetsu Plaza. His work is held in major public collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Art Institute of Chicago; the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa; and the Rubell Museum, Miami.