Masayuki Inoue's repertoire includes sky-high monoliths and massive sculptures that span several meters. Many of these monumental works are held together by metal bolts and industrial adhesive, which in itself is not particularly unusual in the world of contemporary art. But here's the twist: Inoue is first and foremost a ceramic artist.

He began his artistic career in the oil-painting department at Tama Art University (Tamabi) in western Tokyo in the early 1980s. At the time, a clay program initiated by contemporary ceramics pioneer Kimpei Nakamura was being offered as an elective course within the oils department.

In the beginning, Inoue's interest in clay was speculative at best. "At first I had no interest in ceramics at all," he said in a recent interview with The Japan Times. "But after two years in the painting program, I felt like I didn't have my own sense of expression or a real idea of what I wanted to do. I was beginning to lose my will to continue, and that's when I turned my eyes toward the ceramics program. . . . I knew I wouldn't have the chance to work in clay once I graduated, so I thought 'why not give it a shot?' "