250. FUJIMOTO Hide , 1954- , Shigaraki-ware sculpture, 塊 Katamari (“Mass”)

250.  FUJIMOTO Hide  藤本秀,  1954- , Shigaraki 信楽-ware sculpture, 塊 Katamari (“Mass”)
 

Fujimoto was born in 1954 in Shigaraki. From 1973, he worked in several potteries and industrial kilns, studying firing techniques and glazes. He established his own kiln, 雲居窯  (Kumoi kama), in the foothills above Shigaraki in 1995. Fujimoto is "inspired by the natural world around him, and the return to nature of the discarded and redundant remains of our civilization." He told Robert Mangold, the owner of the gallery from which I bought this piece, that it was influenced by pier blocks he had seen covered in moss half buried in the earth. For more on Fujimoto, consult his website:

Ceramic artist - Hide Fujimoto Official Site (jimdofree.com).

Light gray Shigaraki clay. Unglazed; all surface colors the result of kiln effects and natural ash glazing. Weight: 5.2 kg (11.3 lb). Height: 16.3 cm (6-1/2 in). Length: 23 cm (9 in). Width: 17.5 cm (6-3/4 in). 

This was formed from a solid brick of Shigaraki clay. It has roughly six sides, but each side has many surfaces, formed either of excavated areas or protrusions. The base is flat throughout most of its area but curves up to meet the back side at the rear. There are two spots on the bottom where the unaffected clay shows through. One of these has some incised lines that may be the artist’s sigil. Because of the shape of the bottom, the piece tilts forward. A large cavity was excavated on the top side. The left and right sides also have cavities. The top cavity is rough and irregular. The cavities on the sides are smoother and more regular, perhaps excavated using a chisel or similar tool. The surface texture is rough.

This was unglazed. In addition to the two unaffected areas on the bottom side, the back side also has a spot without kiln effects. There are a few areas colored red, but most of the surface shows colors in the gray to black ranges. The front and back sides have areas of vitrified natural-ash glazing. The bottom side has one of the green glass-like beads known as tambo no me. 

This came with a wooden box inscribed by Fujimoto in three lines: 信楽 / 塊 / 藤本秀,  Shigaraki  /  Katamari (“Mass”) / Fujimoto Hide, followed by his seal stamped in red. Included with the piece were an orange wrapping cloth, a short biography in English, and a statement in Japanese about the association between Shigaraki and pottery and Fujimoto’s approach to potting. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto, Japan, May 2024 (invoices, customs and shipping documents)

 

249. WAKAO Toshisada, 1933- , Shino-ware incense container

249.  WAKAO Toshisada  若尾利貞,  1933- , Shino kōgō 志野香合 (Shino-ware incense container)

For Wakao, see item 248. 

Light tan clay, Shino glaze, with some white areas, but mostly a light brownish red, with decoration in a dark brown glaze; the shelf on the lower part, the outer side of the flange, and the interior of the upper part that rests on the shelf and abuts the flange were left unglazed. Weight: 80 g (2.3 oz). Height: 5.1 cm (2 in). Width: 5.1 cm (2 in). 

The overall shape resembles an upside-down acorn without the cap. This sits on a foot ring 3.8 cm (1-1/2 in) in diameter; the inside of the ring has been hollowed out to a depth of 0.3 cm (1/8 in). The ring has no exterior wall. Instead the outside walls of the piece rise in a continuous convex arc to the top. The walls of the lower part end 1.75 cm (5/8 in) above the base. At this point there is a horizontal shelf 0.5 cm (3/16 in) wide, with a vertical flange rising 0.75 cm (1/4 in) above the shelf. The upper part is ringed with horizontal grooves, perhaps remnants of clay coils. The upper part ends in a blunted peak at the center top. The piece is pitted and bumpy from the Shino glaze. 

This has a Shino glaze, mostly colored a light brownish red, but with some areas of white. Wakao used a brown glaze to decorate the outside in four places with grass-like designs. These continue across the divide between the upper and lower parts. 

This came with a wooden box, inscribed by Wakao in two lines: 志野   香合 /  利貞 Shino kōgō / Toshisada (Shino-ware incense container / Toshisada) , with the artist’s seal stamped in red. Included in the box were a short biography and two wrapping cloths. 

Purchased from Dai Ichi Arts, New York City, May 2024 (invoice, shipping label, card from owner).

248. WAKAO Toshisada, 1933- , Oribe-ware incense container

248. WAKAO Toshisada 若尾利貞, 1933- , Oribe kōgō 織部香合 (Oribe-ware incense box)
 

Wakao was born in Tajimi. After graduating from junior high school, he worked at a ceramics factory while studying Shino-ware on his own. He went independent in 1970. He is a recipient of the Katō Kōbei Award, the Mino Newcomer’s Award, and the New Craft Award, among other honors. He has been a participant and award-winner at the Chūbu Art Exhibition, Gifu Prefectural General Design Exhibition, Asahi Ceramics Exhibition, Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition, and the Chūnichi International Ceramics Exhibition. He has had solo exhibitions held at the Nihonbashi Takashimaya, Nagoya Matsuzakaya, and Tokyo Tsubogen, among other venues. He is a member of the Japan Kōgei Association.

Cream-colored clay, with Oribe green, brown, and cream glazes; the edges where the two halves meet are unglazed. Weight: 102 g (3.6 oz). Height: overall, 4.3 cm (1-3/4 in). Width: 6 cm (2-3/8 in).                

Bottom part: This sits on a foot ring 3.7 cm (1-1/2 in) in diameter and about 0.3 cm (1/8 in) high on both sides. Within the ring is the artist’s sigil written with a brush in brown glaze. Above the foot ring, the walls flare outward at about a 45-degree angle to meet the sides 0.5 cm (3/16 in) above the base. The walls rise in more or less a straight line to the top of the bottom part 1.8 cm (3/4 in) above the base; at this point the piece has a diameter of 3.2 cm (1-1/4 in). There is a horizontal shelf about 0.5 cm (3/16 in) wide on which the top part rests. At the inside edge of this shelf is a vertical flange 0.8 cm (5/16 in) high. The interior of this part mirrors the shape of the exterior walls. 

Top part. Overall, this part is 3.2 cm (1-1/8 in) high. The bottom edge is flush with the top edge of the bottom part; The walls are 0.5 cm (3/16 in) thick. Above this, the walls curve inward in a high convex arc to a flat circular area at the top 3.4 cm (1-1/4 in) in diameter. In the center of this is a roughly circular small button less than a centimeter (3/8 in) in diameter. The interior of this part mirrors the shape of the exterior. 

There are eight vertical grooves extending from the circle at the top of the upper part across the body of the piece to the lower edge of the walls. The texture of the exterior is bumpy; the interior is smooth. 

The circle at the top and the upper half of the top part were covered with the green Oribe glaze. Below this each groove was filled in with the brown Oribe glaze; between each of these lines Wakao used the brown glaze to draw an irregular vertical shape. Wakao also used this glaze to draw his sigil on the base. Other than the edges where the halves meet, the rest of the piece has a cream glaze. 

This came in a small, uninscribed wooden box. I was told by the seller that Wakao is preparing an inscribed box for this. 

Purchased from Dai Ichi Arts in New York City in May 2024. (invoice, shipping label)