Tamara and Michael Root have created one of the largest, most diverse collections in the Twin Cities of studio ceramics from the 20th and 21st centuries. For nearly 35 years, they have followed the Minnesota ceramic arts scene and collected nationally and internationally, assisted by knowledgeable dealers. Now retired professors, they truly lived with these works, showing a large selection in museum-worthy displays in their South Minneapolis home.

For more than 10 years, the Roots have donated singular works to Mia and provided generous funds for new ceramic acquisitions. They are now moving forward with the collection as a promised gift to Mia. Two complementary exhibitions celebrate their generosity while showcasing the Roots as thoughtful collectors of Japanese as well as North American and European ceramics.

This exhibition, in the Japanese galleries, presents a selection of tea bowls and other tea ware, standing and hanging vases, as well as sculpture. The Roots did not venture into Japanese ceramics until 2001, when they acquired the first of almost 50 tea bowls. The collection eventually encompassed 168 works, dominated by functional ware. While their focus remained strongly on contemporary works, the Roots also added a number from the mid-20th century, including pieces by the Mingei (folk-craft) artists Hamada Shōji, Kitaōji Rosanjin, and Arakawa Toyozō.

The related exhibition “The Root Collection: Celebrating Studio Ceramics” is on view in the Cargill Gallery, on the first floor, from August 19 to November 26, 2023.