265. MURAKOSHI Takuma, 1954- , guinomi

265. MURAKOSHI Takuma  村越琢磨, 1954- , Sake-nomi  酒呑 (sake cup)

For Murakoshi, see item no. 234. 

Light gray clay from Shigaraki. A few splashes of dark brown glaze on the exterior and interior; otherwise fired unglazed, with kiln effects: hi-iro in coral colors; natural ash glazing in white spots and green glass-like bidoro deposits. Weight:  156 g (5.6 oz). Height: 5.4 cm (2-1/8 in). Widths: rim, 9.2 x 7.9 cm (3-5/8 x 3-1/8 in); base, 3.7 x 3.4 cm (1-1/2 x 1-3/8 in). Capacity: 82 ml (3.7 fl oz). 

This is similar in shape to item no. 234, but slightly smaller. Like item no. 235, it was hand-built using overlapping flat ribbons of clay. Any given cross-section is an oval, although there are many bimps and dents. It sits on a flat base, an irregular oval. The interior of the base is indented, perhaps by the tip of the artist’s thumb (mine fits comfortably in the dent). The walls flare outward from the base to the rim, with many ridges where the edges of the ribbons were joined. On one side of the piece is the artist’s sigil (see item no. 235 for a description), a long curved line with a short bar at the top and two lines off to the right side at the lower end of the long line. The shape of the interior mirrors that of the exterior, but the joins between the ribbons of clay are smoother and less pronounced. Given the rough modeling of the piece, the surface is quite smooth. 

Except for a few splashes of a dark brown glaze on the interior and exterior walls, this was fired unglazed. The exterior and the upper parts of the interior are dotted with white beads, the results of natural ash glazing. The interior has several patches of green glass-like bidoro drips. The portions of the walls not covered with brown glaze or affected by the natural ash glazing show hi-iro colors in the coral range. The natural clay color shows through only on the flat, oval base. 

This came in a wooden box inscribed by the artist in two lines: 酒呑 / たくま sake-nomi / takuma (sake cup / Takuma), followed by a seal bearing the characters for his given name stamped in red. As is his wont, Murakoshi began the inscription on the top of the box (actually on the back edge of the lid) and continued down the front of the box. Included in the box are a small printed leaflet (in Japanese and English) and a brown wrapping cloth. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in October 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

 

264. ŌMAE Satoru, 1972- , Devils’ Island sake cup in the Korean style)

264. ŌMAE Satoru 大前悟, 1972-  , Onigashima gosho-maru hai  鬼ヶ島御所丸盃  (Devils’ Island sake cup in the Korean style)

Ōmae was born in Osaka in 1972. He began decorating Kenzan-style pottery in Kobe in 1991 with his brother. In 1994 he began making Nanban-style unglazed pottery. His first solo exhibition was held in Osaka in 1999, and he moved to Shigaraki in 2001, where he began working on Iga- and Shigaraki-style wood-fired pottery and at the same time began holding solo exhibitions nationwide. He built a fully underground anagama kiln in 2003. In 2005, he became interested in glazed pottery and began creating white porcelain and Karatsu ware. In 2007, he was attracted to Korean pottery from the Joseon Dynasty and started experimenting with Ido tea bowls and persimmon calyx tea bowls using anagama kiln firing techniques. After absorbing many styles, he reached a turning point in 2010, when he moved to Awaji Island and built a semi-underground anagama kiln and a raku kiln. He started making black raku ware. In 2016, he began using clay from Awaji Island to make white raku ware. 

Light tan clay. Glazed in cream and a dark, almost black, brown; the foot ring and surrounding area of the base left unglazed. Weight: 74 g (2.6 oz). Height 3.8 cm (1-1/2 in). Widths: rim, 5.8 x 5 cm (2-1/4 x 2 in); widest, 6.3 x 6 cm (2-1/2 x 2-3/8 in). 

This mimics the shape of many straight-sided teabowls. It sits on a six-sided foot ring, about 2 mm (1/16 in) high and 3.2 x 2.8 cm (1-1/4 x 1-1/8 in) wide. Two small, transparent paper labels are affixed to the foot ring; with the numbers “40” and “40-5” written in black ink. The bottom extends outward and upward at a slight angle to the maximum width, 1.2 cm (1/2 in) above the base. The walls then rise vertically to the rim. There are two horizontal grooves running around the bowl, the first just below the midpoint and the other just under the rim. The walls bulge outward slightly above and below these grooves.The shape of the interior mirrors that of the exterior. The surface is smooth on the glazed portions. The unglazed portions feel like fine-grained sandpaper. 

This was glazed in a slightly smoky cream and a dark brown. The brown shades into tan where the glaze is thin and into black where it is thicker. This combination of colors is apparently what qualifies the piece as “Korean.” 

This came in a wooden box inscribed on the side by the artist in three lines: 鬼ヶ島 / 御所丸盃 / 悟 Onigashima / gosho-maru hai / Satoru (Devils’ Island / Gosho-maru cup / Satoru). Onigashima is the name of a mythical island. “Gosho-maru” was a name given to ships used in the trade with Korea. The artist’s name is followed by his seal stamped in black (as are other of his boxes). Included in the box were a short printed biography and a brown wrapping cloth, also stamped in black with the artist’s seal. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in October 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).

 

263. FUJIMOTO Hide 1954- , Shigaraki-ware pillar vase

263.  FUJIMOTO Hide  藤本秀,  1954- , Shigaraki tagui-enchū  信楽 類円柱  (Shigaraki-ware pillar [vase])

For Fujimoto, see item no. 250.  Fujimoto often finds inspiration in building materials (see also no. 250). Here the piece is shaped after a central pillar with notched holes near the top for holding the ends of a series of radiating support beams. 

Light gray Shigaraki clay, fired unglazed, with kiln effects, including hi-iro in red colors, natural ash glazing, with vitrification and bidoro, light gray with a greenish tint; ash deposits in dark gray to black. Weight: 3.5 kg (7-3/4 lb). Height: 24 cm (9-7/8 in). Diameter: 15.3 cm (6 in). 

This sits on a flat base, about 2 cm (3/4 in) thick. The remnants of the three posts used to separate the piece from the kiln shelf during firing are visible on the base. In shape this is a cylinder, roughly the same diameter throughout. There is an upward sloping ridge on the back side beginning at the base and extending upwards for about half the height. There are six windows near the top, each around 4.5 cm (1-3/4 in) square. The top and bottom sides of each square are level; the right and left sides angle inward. The lower edge of each square begins 17.8 cm (7 in) above the base. Within these windows, the flat surface moves inward toward a vertical, circular central wall 3.2 cm (1-1/4 in) high and 5.8 cm (2-1/4 in) in diameter. The top is a flat disk 1.5 cm (5/8 in) thick, with a central hole 5.8 cm (2-1/4 in) wide. There is a space of approximately 0.6 cm (1/4 in) between the inner central wall and the flat disk at the top, leaving the area within the windows open. The shape of the interior mirrors that of the exterior. The surface of this is quite rough. 

This was fired unglazed. The top and one side (arbitrarily designated the front) have a thick layer of vitrified natural ash glazing, with many small patches of green, glass-like bidoro deposits, light gray in color with a strong greenish tint. The upper part of the back side, to just below the square openings has a similar coating of natural ash glazing. Below this is a heavy layer of ash deposits, colored dark gray to black. The base has areas of vitrification across most of the surface, with a patch of hi-iro colors in light red. The original clay shows through in the areas of the base where the wads were placed during firing. The interior is hard to see but appears to have a good coating of natural ash glazing on the bottom and along the lower sides. 

This came in a wooden box inscribed by the artist in three lines: 信楽 / 類円柱 /  藤本秀  Shigaraki / tagui-enchū  / Fujimoto Hide (Shigaraki[-ware vase] resembling a pillar), followed by the artist’s seal stamped in red. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto in October 2024, who received it directly from the potter in summer 2024. This was part of an exhibit entitled Shōka 昇華  (“sublime”), or Modern Masters in English, a show of fifteen currently active potters (invoice and shipping and customs documents).