The late Seattle-based ceramicist Akio Takamori breathed a different kind of life into his figurative sculptures—they somehow feel drawn, composed not of earthenware or clay, but of pigment and ink. They sometimes remind me of the softness, the pliability of my favorite dolls. Born and raised in Japan, Takamori’s largely autobiographical work engages the history of both Eastern and Western aesthetics, and the themes of cultural identity that ricochet between them and through him. In this show at James Harris Gallery, Takamori’s sculptures will be paired with related prints of his own making. by Jas Keimig