Japanese artist Takuro Kuwata brings first UK solo exhibition to Warwick Arts Centre
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The Mead Gallery at Warwick Arts Centre is proud to present the first UK institution solo exhibition of internationally celebrated Japanese artist, Takuro Kuwata.
Renowned for his bold approach to ceramics, Kuwata combines traditional Japanese pottery with experimental sculptural techniques. His vivid glazes, unusual shapes, and striking textures have earned him international acclaim and redefined modern ceramic art.
A key feature of Kuwata’s work is his use of colour and surface. Moving away from the subtle, natural tones often linked to wabi-sabi, he draws inspiration from American culture and the bold style of Pop Art. Influenced by artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, Kuwata brings their vibrant energy into Japanese ceramic traditions, creating work that is playful, provocative, and unmistakably contemporary.
Thomas Ellmer, Exhibitions Curator at Warwick Arts Centre, said: “Takuro Kuwata is one of the most distinctive and exciting voices in contemporary art today. His work is both joyous and captivating – celebratory of tradition while moving the debate around ceramics forward. We’re thrilled to host his first solo exhibition in the UK and to bring his vision to our audiences.”
While his approach may seem radical, Kuwata remains deeply committed to traditional Japanese craft. He explains: “I’m not trying to break the rules. I just want to apply a contemporary sensibility to pottery. I believe I can create something truly new, work that reflects our time.”
This major exhibition includes new large-scale works created especially for the Mead Gallery, alongside sculptures from across Kuwata’s career. Visitors can explore the full range of his practice – from shimmering tea bowls decorated with gold and platinum to cracked, otherworldly pieces that challenge ideas of beauty and function.
The exhibition offers a rare opportunity for UK audiences to see a major collection of Kuwata’s work in person. His ceramics have previously featured in international institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo.
The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of public events, including talks and hands-on workshops. Birmingham-based collective Modern Clay have designed an interactive gallery studio within the exhibition, giving visitors the chance to create their own clay vessels and experience Kuwata’s techniques firsthand.
For more information on the exhibition and events, visit the Mead Gallery website.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Exhibition runs Friday 31 October 2025 – Sunday 15 March 2026
For more information please contact:
Stevie Connoll, Media & Communications Officer
stevie.connoll@warwick.ac.uk / +44 (0)7824 540791
Image Credits
Top Right: Takuro Kuwata, Untitled, 2016, Porcelain, stone, glaze, pigment, steel, gold, lacquer, 293 x 135 x 139 cm (115 3/8 x 53 1/8 x 54 3/4 ins). Photography: Michael Brzezinski
Bottom Right: Takuro Kuwata, Untitled, 2016, Porcelain, glaze, pigment, steel, gold, lacquer, 288 x 135 x 130 cm (113 3/8 x 53 1/8 x 51 1/8 ins). Photography: Michael Brzezinski
About the University of Warwick
Founded in 1965, the University of Warwick is a world-leading institution known for its commitment to era-defining innovation across research and education. A connected ecosystem of staff, students and alumni, the University fosters transformative learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and bold industry partnerships across state-of-the-art facilities in the UK and global satellite hubs. Here, spirited thinkers push boundaries, experiment and challenge convention to create a better world.
Warwick Arts Centre is at the heart of the University of Warwick – representing the largest multi artform arts centre outside London with a concert hall, middle scale theatre, cinemas, studio spaces and the Mead Gallery.
Warwick Arts Centre has been working with some of the world’s most inspiring artists since 1974 including Pauline Black, Peter Brook, Guz Khan, Ken Loach, Annie Mac, the Maly Theatre of St Petersburg, Motionhouse Dance, Robert Plant, Simon Rattle and the CBSO.
In 2022, following a redevelopment program the Arts Centre opened a new three screen cinema enabling the screening of a wider range of films from blockbuster to UK Independent films, opera, theatre and exhibitions. The Mead Gallery kept its unique footprint but moved to the ground floor, at the entrance to Warwick Arts Centre.
The Mead Gallery is an exceptional space, comprised of three expansive spaces. Its programme is driven by enquiry into modern and contemporary art practice and often features new, commissioned work from artists.
Key exhibitions include Phyllida Barlow: STINT, an exhibition of ten new sculptures in 2008; The Indiscipline of Painting in 2012; The World Turned Upside Down: Buster Keaton, Sculpture and the Absurd, 2013; Rana Begum: Dappled Light in 2022; Katrina Palmer: What’s already going on in 2023, Phantom Sculpture in 2024 and Mao Ishikawa in 2025. .
Warwick Arts Centre does more than provide a platform for outstanding artists to present their work. It works with artists and communities of people to co-create and deliver a year-round programme of events, workshops and projects designed to engage and inspire children, families, young people and adults of all backgrounds.
28 October 2025