Jun Kaneko. Untitled.

• ARTIST.

  Jun Kaneko
  (Japanese, b. 1942)

• TITLE.

  Untitled
  [all 3 works are untitled]

• DATE.

  2007 (132 in. [335.28 cm])

  2012 (69 in. [175.26 cm])

  2013 (58 in. [147.32 cm])

• MATERIALS.

  3 hand-built and glazed ceramic vessels

• DIMENSIONS.

  132 in.
  (335.28 cm)

  69 in.
  (175.26 cm)

  58 in.
  (147.32 cm)

• Map.

  On the 3rd-level quad in Westfield Century City mall at 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067

From the artist’s “dango” series, referring to Japanese rice dumplings.

Three vessels by Japanese artist Jun Kaneko are located in the middle of the 3rd-level quad at Westfield Century City. At this intersection of walkways, many shoppers walk right by the sculptures.

Spend time with these vessels, walk around, and among them. Each sculpture is precisely placed in relation to the other on the oval wood flooring. The forms inhabit the space: one vessel rises (the tallest, elongated oval stands 11 feet high [335.28 cm]), another sits (the smallest is spherical at 4 feet and 10 inches high [147.32 cm]), and one swells (triangular, rising 5 feet and 9 inches [175.26 cm]). There’s a silent presence among the 3 vessels and a kinship as they are all smooth, rounded ceramic shapes, closed with no opening.

The Untitled vessels are part of the artist’s “dango” series, referring to the Japanese term for small, semi-sweet rice dumplings.

Behind the Scenes.

Kaneko studied art in California, beginning his studies as a painter, then concentrating on ceramics in 1963. He was an assistant to the master ceramic artist Peter Voulkos whose work is found in our Access! guide (located at UCLA’s Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden). Kaneko pushed the limits of ceramics by hand-building monumental vessels from thick slabs of clay and painting them with patterns. Kaneko’s dango vessels are paintings in 3-dimensions.

SPARK A CONVERSATION.

Touch the vessels. Note the different textures created by the painted dots, lines, and squares.

• Are the surfaces the same on each vessel?

• Are the patterns painted with the same precision?

• Note the different effects of painting. Do the patterns remind you of another art form?

• Consider each ceramic vessel as a person or creature. What would you name each vessel?

• Do you have a favorite vessel? Why?