A vivid blue and white design, bringing to mind a waterfall or falling rain. A quiet elegance, and an iconic silhouette. We are honored to showcase Untitled (Dango), a beautiful sculpture by famed Japanese-born artist Jun Kaneko in Portland Japanese Garden’s Jubitz Oregon Terrace. This charming outdoor space was designed by Sadafumi Uchiyama, Curator Emeritus, and includes bonsai and kusamono (accent plants that often accompany bonsai) during warmer months, and a stunning water feature composed of columnar basalt. It can be visited via the second floor of the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center in the Garden’s Cultural Village.
Untitled (Dango) was generously donated by Travers Hill Polak to Portland Japanese Garden in 2024. Ms. Polak, a longtime patron of the organization and formerly a member of its Board of Trustees, encountered Kaneko’s work in the exhibition Garden of Resonance: The Art of Jun Kaneko, which took place at the Garden in Fall 2022. In this 2022 solo exhibition, Kaneko’s striking, large-scale sculptures were showcased both within the Pavilion Gallery as well as throughout the Garden itself, inspiring connections and reflection on the relationship between art and nature.
About the Artist
Jun Kaneko is a world-renowned ceramic artist, whose large-scale and iconic works have appeared in numerous international shows and museum collections. His ceramic sculptures are just as layered as his life as an artist. In 1963, with aspirations to become a painter, Kaneko left Nagoya, Japan for Los Angeles, California, where he was introduced to the California Clay Movement. Through seeing, touching, and rearranging ceramic sculptures, his interest in the possibilities of clay was ignited. Kaneko went on to teach, exhibit and participate in artist residencies across the globe.
In 1982, at the invitation of Ree Schonlau, Kaneko was invited to a workshop in Omaha, Nebraska. Using an industrial-grade beehive kiln on the grounds of Omaha Brickworks, Kaneko began to experiment with the giant, hand-built, oval clay structures for which he would become iconic.
The “Dango” Series
These large scale works were the genesis of his signature “Dango,” elliptical sculptures of different sizes that would exemplify the public image of his artistry for more than 40 years. Jun Kaneko eventually settled in Omaha, a place that enabled him to produce on a large scale with few interruptions. With the vision and guidance of Ree, who married Jun and was at the vortex of his career and evolution as an artist and creative brand, the Kanekos have had an unparalleled impact on Omaha’s community. They’ve created studio and exhibition spaces, established residency programs, and founded KANEKO, a creativity center to inspire future generations.
