An artist is a person gifted with a special sense of wonder. The idea of “Ways of Earth”, as a collaborative project between Japan and Hungary, was conceived in 2022, as a direct exchange between the diverse ceramic culture of Mino in Gifu Prefecture and the “geological wonderland” of the Balaton Uplands. The participating artists share an approach based on a continuous discovery of fundamentals of materials, natural processes, landscapes and histories.

Our exhibition distills the effects that mutual visits of Hungarian and Japanese artists to explore each other’s regions had on their creative pursuits. In various personal ways, this interaction led them to deconstruct the media of ceramics to elements of soil, rock, basic forms and geologic transformations – building blocks of earthly nature and human culture.

After directors and curators from the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art – Gifu, the House of Arts Veszprém, and the Veszprém-Balaton European Capital of Culture 2023 had first met in Veszprém, their cooperation “Ways of Earth” took off based on the initial idea conceived by Julia Nema.

The artistic path of Julia Nema has long been shaped by Japanese culture. Digging deep into the media of clay and paper as key symbols of Mino culture, she has created personal interpretations of a classic Japanese scroll and modern monochromatic painting, highlighting and combining the aesthetic qualities of both local and far Eastern raw materials.

Tetsuya Hioki is a professional clay maker and specialist of clay materials from Mizunami City. Since his daily work is closely connected to natural sources, he was deeply touched by the locals’s love of the captivating Balaton Upland. His hands are holding and nurturing the magic power of soils and elements.

Rando Aso, based in Minokamo, is an artist with delicate sensitivity to space and its personal relations. Attracted by the long story which even small stones can carry, he has incorporated characteristic pieces of the Balaton region into his new body of work. In this way, his imaginary negative space turns into a cradle that holds his impression and vision found in the area.

Akos Czigany is a fine art photographer who documented all stages of the “Ways of Earth” in both Japan and Hungary, and visualized the experience of personal, economic, and cross-cultural spaces in both areas.

Project “Ways of Earth”, as well as the artworks and the exhibition, were realized with generous support from: House of Arts Veszprém | Museum of Modern Ceramic Art – Gifu | Veszprém-Balaton European Capital of Culture 2023 | EU-Japan Fest Japan Committee | Municipality of the City of Veszprém | Gifu Prefectural Government | Bakony-Balaton UNESCO Global Geopark