Hans Coper Retrospective: Innovation in 20th Century Ceramics

July 29, 2010

Hans Coper Retrospective: Innovation in 20th Century Ceramics

Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010 No one who visited the Lucie Rie exhibition at the National Art Center Tokyo recently could have failed to notice the prominent part played in the ceramic artist’s career by Hans Coper (1920-81). Like Rie, Coper was a Jew from Central Europe who escaped the Nazi takeover and […]

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Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2010

Spade Form, c.1970, Thistle Form, 1975, Berkley Collection. Courtesy of the Estate of the Artist

No one who visited the Lucie Rie exhibition at the National Art Center Tokyo recently could have failed to notice the prominent part played in the ceramic artist’s career by Hans Coper (1920-81). Like Rie, Coper was a Jew from Central Europe who escaped the Nazi takeover and the ovens of Auschwitz and found himself in London in the ’40s. With no previous experience but bags of talent, he began working as Rie’s assistant. In addition to quickly becoming an accomplished studio potter himself, he also spurred Rie to new heights of creativity. Now he’s been given his own exhibition, “Hans Coper Retrospective: Innovation in 20th Century Ceramics,” at the Shiodome Museum/Roualt Gallery. While Rie’s ceramics are functional and classical, Coper took inspiration more freely from modern art and architecture, blurring the border between arts and crafts.

Shiodome Museum
Until Sep 5, ¥200 (elem, MS)/¥300 (HS, univ)/¥400 (65 and over)/¥500 (general). 4F, 1-5-1 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5777-8600. Open Tue-Sun 10am-6pm, closed Mon. Nearest stn: Shiodome. www.mew.co.jp/corp/museum