PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Locks Gallery is presenting an exhibition of ceramic and bronze sculptures, and paintings by Jun Kaneko, through July 13th, 2012.

The exhibit features 15 new and recent works from his ongoing dango series—the artist’s signature sculpture. These rounded forms are each unique in profile, surface design and coloring. The works for this exhibit specifically reference the human body or face, and Locks will exhibit a pair of his bronze heads for the first time. The art critic Arthur Danto has called the dangos Kaneko’s “gentle giants”; their benign presence belies their heft and solidness.

As Kaneko moves fluidly in his studio between sculpture, painting and drawing, his ideas have extended organically onto the opera stage—he received commissions for Madama Butterfly, Fidelo (world premiere in Philadelphia) and The Magic Flute (premiering San Francisco Opera, June 2012). Kaneko’s Head sculptures derive from his original set design for Madama Butterfly.

Born in Nagoya, Japan, Kaneko has pursued a dynamic and experimental studio practice since his college years in Los Angeles in the ‘60s, and later apprenticing with Peter Voulkos at Berkeley. The artist has shown extensively in the U.S. since 1964 and has had exhibits in Finland, Norway, Japan, South Korea and Canada. Kaneko’s work is included in over fifty museum collections throughout the world including Arabia Museum, Helsinki, Finland; Detroit Institute of Arts; Houston Museum of Fine Arts; Los Angeles County Art Museum; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Art and Design, NY; The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Phoenix Art Museum and Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Locks Gallery is located at 600 Washington Square South in Philadelphia, PA. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm. In July and August our summer hours take effect, opening Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm. For additional information, please contact Locks Gallery at 215.629.1000 voice, 215.629.3868 fax