Kazue Wakabayashi

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Kazue Wakabayashi is a Japanese ceramic artist whose practice bridges traditional Japanese ceramic aesthetics with an international perspective cultivated through study in both Japan and Italy. She received her B.F.A. (1991) and M.F.A. (1993) in Ceramic Art from Tokyo University of the Arts, and later completed a diploma program at the Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica in Faenza, Italy (1998), a city renowned for its long history of ceramic excellence.

Wakabayashi is a regular member of the Japan Kogei Association and is currently based in Yokohama, Japan. Her work has been widely recognized in major national competitions and exhibitions, reflecting a sustained engagement with contemporary interpretations of traditional ceramic art.

In 2023, she was awarded the Grand Prize at the Kikuchi Biennale X, one of Japan’s most prestigious ceramic competitions.

Her works have been selected multiple times for significant juried exhibitions, including the East Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition, the Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition, and the Kikuchi Biennale, among others. Her ceramics are included in notable museum collections in Japan and Europe, such as the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza (Italy).

Through her refined forms and sensitive surfaces, Wakabayashi’s ceramics embody a dialogue between material, technique, and time, offering works that resonate with both functional beauty and sculptural presence.