Jun Kaneko is known for his monumental ceramic sculptures in the form of heads with expressionless faces or boldly colored, ovoid, vertical, sculptural forms called dangos (dumplings in Japanese). These enormous forms are a testament to Kaneko's skills in handling stoneware on a colossal scale. In addition to the heads and dangos Kaneko has created a number of tile murals, rectangular wall plaques, and large ovoid platter forms. He has also worked with glass, bronze, and fiber, has designed sets and costumes for opera, and is an accomplished draftsman and painter.
Kaneko came to the United States from Japan in 1963 at the age of twenty-one. The following year he enrolled at Chouinard Institute of Art where he studied with Ralph Bacerra and worked in the Los Angeles studio of Jerry Rothman. In 1964, Kaneko entered the University of California, Berkeley studying with Peter Voulkos. In 1970 Kaneko entered Claremont Graduate School where he studied with Paul Soldner.
Hirshberg in other collections
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Last updated: April 22, 2026
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