Megumi Yuasa

Megumi Yuasa is a self-taught sculptor and ceramic artist whose practice began in the 1960s. His first works date from 1964, marking the beginning of a career grounded in material experimentation and formal research. Between 1965 and 1968, he lived in the countryside of Goiás alongside Naoko Yuasa, a period that proved decisive for his investigation of local clay and led to his first solo exhibition in Goiânia.

In 1971, he attended the Escola Brasil for a short period at the invitation of Luiz Paulo Baravelli. From the outset, Yuasa’s work has been characterized by an ongoing exploration of materials and processes. By incorporating metal, pigments, stone, and wood into ceramic structures, he expanded the traditional boundaries of the medium, embedding philosophical and social reflections into his sculptural production.

Throughout his career, Yuasa has participated in major exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, including the 1975 and 1977 editions of the São Paulo Biennial. He has also taken part in exhibitions highlighting Japanese-Brazilian artists and events commemorating Japanese immigration to Brazil, as well as group shows at institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Hispanic Art in New York and the Instituto Tomie Ohtake, reinforcing his presence in contemporary art discourse.

Alongside his artistic practice, Yuasa has been active in teaching since 1979, organizing ceramic courses and workshops. He served as an advisor at Escola Senai Armando Arruda Sampaio between 1981 and 1982, taught at the University of Caxias do Sul in 1982, and presented the exhibition “Observação da Realidade” at the Museu de Artes do Rio Grande do Sul (MARGS) in 1984.

In 1988, he was awarded the APCA Prize for Sculpture, recognizing his contribution to Brazilian art. The following year, he conducted a course at the Brazilian Ceramics Seminar in Lisbon. His works are included in important collections such as the Carnegie Museum of Art (USA), the Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM-SP), the Museu de Arte Contemporânea da USP (MAC-USP), and the Pinacoteca de São Paulo. In 2024, he returned with a solo exhibition at Gomide&Co, reaffirming the significance of his work within the Brazilian contemporary art scene.

Sources:
Photo: https://www.arrematearte.com.br/artistas/megumi-yuasa-1938
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