Japanese-American ceramist Jun Kaneko created an extensive body of work within the confines of a relatively small number of forms. One of the primary forms that he explored was what he called a “Dango”—Japanese for “dumpling”—a form that resembles a large vase without an opening. Despite his limited formal palette, he endlessly explored scale and surface decoration. Kaneko created dozens of Dangos that range is size, some over six feet tall. He hand-built these sculptures and then, due to their size and thickness, let them dry for an extended period before firing them in industrial-sized kilns and then decorating them in colorful abstract patterns.