Bronze Bell

Toshiko Takaezu
American, b. 1922
Bronze Bell
cast bronze bell, wood and metal support,
c. 1992

Gift of Leonard and Jane Korman

The internationally-known ceramic artist Toshiko Takaezu has often created clay vessels that mysteriously rattle when shaken. In the 1980's, she began making bronze bells to further explore sound as a component in her sculpture.

The Hawaiian-born artist researched Japanese bell designs and learned to thicken the instrument's rim and top, to enhance sound quality. The simple wooden support evokes a Shinto shrine, dedicated to the traditional spirits of the natural world.

Gift of Leonard and Jane Korman