“Gold is Where You Find It” by Kensuke Yamada, 2021, stoneware, 12.5x10x10.
ON THIS PIECE:
“This piece was part of the solo exhibit called ‘As You Are I Was, As I Am You Will Be’ at the Blue Spiral Gallery in Asheville, North Carolina. The title came from an old western romantic movie. The best way of life is to find value in what you already have, rather than being unsatisfied and wanting things you don’t have. So, the gold on the head obviously refers to gold that we do not have. Since the exhibit was about life and death, I included this piece for the exhibit.”
ARTIST BIO:
Kensuke Yamada was born in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan. He received his master of fine arts degree from the University of Montana in 2009 and has a bachelor of arts from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Yamada has participated in artist residency programs at the Archie Bray Foundation, The Clay Studio, Tyler School of Art and Architecture and Cheekwood. His sculptures have been exhibited nationally and internationally.
Yamada was previously a visiting artist at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and a visiting assistant professor at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He is currently teaching at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Find Yamada’s work online at yamadakensuke.com and on Instagram at @kensuke_yamada.