Ryo Toyonaga Earthenware Heart Sculpture

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A 1993 earthenware heart sculpture by listed Japanese born artist Ryo Toyonaga. Signed in the back in kanji. Acquired from … Read more A 1993 earthenware heart sculpture by listed Japanese born artist Ryo Toyonaga. Signed in the back in kanji. Acquired from a Berkshire estate.

Between 1987 and 2003, Toyonaga built over 300 ceramic-based sculptures. In 2009, Toyonaga’s Mephistophelean was one of the first exhibitions held at the Vilcek foundation, displaying ceramic-based sculptures created between 1991 and 2003.

Ryo Toyonaga was born in Matsuyama, Japan. He moved to New York City in 1986 and began creating works that appeared to emerge from the earth itself, perhaps from the depths of the ocean or recesses deep in forgotten mines. During the 1990s, Toyonaga worked exclusively in clay. As the organic energy flowed and changed within his imagination, Toyonaga expanded his vocabulary of expression and materials, including the introduction of red wax in 2002 and bronze and aluminum casting in 2004. With an interest in increasing the size and stance of his works, Toyonaga began exploring large-scale papier-mâché in 2005. Following his solo show of sculpture at the Charles Cowles Gallery in 2005, his artistic interest shifted to drawing. At his second solo show at the Charles Cowles Gallery in 2009, he exclusively showed drawings. Since 2010, Toyonaga has concentrated on large-scale acrylic paintings on canvas. See less