255. HASHIMOTO Tomonari, 1990- , “untitled” utsuwa

 255. HASHIMOTO Tomonari 橋本知成, 1990- , “untitled” utsuwa  器 (vessel), raku-fired

 

For Hashimoto, see item no. 236. 

Robert Mangold, the owner of the Kura Monzen Gallery, asked Hashimoto to make a few smaller pieces more suitable for shipping than his usual sizable sculptures. Hashimoto responded with a series of small utsuwa, or dishes, like this container. Utsuwa, as applied to pottery, is a general term for cooking and serving dishes. 

Black clay, glazed inside and out, mostly glossy black on the interior and about two-thirds black on the exterior, with other colors in the red and brown range, with a coppery sheen on the red parts, especially on the base. Some unglazed areas on the base and around the bottom of the exterior walls. Weight: 370 g (13 oz). Height: 10 cm (4 in). Diameter: 10.3-11.0 cm (4-1/8 – 4-3/8 in). 

This sits a shallow foot ring, 5.7-6.0 cm (2-1/4 – 2-3/8 in) in diameter. Above the foot ring, the base flares outward at a shallow angle to a height of around one centimeter (3/8 in), where the base meets the walls. The walls rise in a very shallow concave arc to the rim. The walls are quite thin for a piece of this size, a quality apparent in its relatively low weight. The diameter of the walls is highly irregular. An oddity is the vertical line beginning at the lip on one side of the exterior extending downward the length of the wall, across the bottom, and up the opposite side 180 degrees around the cup. On the interior the line is apparent on the bottom but not on the sides. On the exterior walls, the line is very bumpy. Either the piece was made in two identical sections and joined together but without smoothing over the joint or Hashimoto scored the surface in this fashion to suggest that the piece consists of two sections. Either way, the line breaks the piece into two sections and suggests division rather than unity. This otherwise has a smooth finish to the surface. 

This was fired Raku-style and has the characteristic glossy finish of Raku-ware. There are five spots around the circumference at the lower edge of the walls that are unglazed; they appear to be where Hashimoto held the piece with his fingers when he dipped it in the glaze. There are also several unglazed patches on the base. The coppery hues predominate on the glazed portions of the base. 

This came in a wooden box inscribed the artist in two lines: untitled 器 (utsuwa; vessel) / Tomonari, followed by his seal stamped in red. Included with the shipment was a copy of the printed catalogue made for the exhibition of Hashimoto’s works at the Kura Monzen Gallery in 2023. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery, Kyoto, Japan, June 2024 (invoice, shipping and customs documents)

254. ISEZAKI Sō, 1968- , Bizen-ware squared sake server and cup

254. ISEZAKI Sō 伊勢崎創, 1968- , Bizen kaku shuki 備前角酒器 (Bizen-ware squared sake server and cup)

Isezaki Sō comes from a prominent family of potters in the Bizen tradition (his uncle Isezaki Jun is a Living National Treasure). He is the third son of the important potter Isezaki Mitsuru and was raised alongside the family kiln. At eighteen he apprenticed under Bizen master Yamashita Jōji and was first exhibited the following year. After his twentieth birthday he went to the United States for study. Upon returning to Japan, he won the first of many awards at the Okayama Kenten (Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition). He then returned to the United States for another year of study. The American influences are apparent in his non-traditional approach to design. He has exhibited and received awards at the Nihon Dentō Kōgei Ten (Traditional Crafts Exhibition), the Tobiten of the Japan Ceramic Art Society, and the Tanabe Museum Modern Forms in Tea Exhibition, among others. For other examples of his work, see his website (SO ISEZAKI). 

Gray clay. Fired unglazed; surface colors in the red, tan, and brown ranges, with red veins of hidasuki 緋襷 (scarlet cords), with areas of vitrification. Server. Weight (without lid and handle): 396 g (14 oz). Height (of ceramic only): 7.2 cm (2-7/8 in). Length (overall): 13.8 cm (5-1/2 in). Width: 7.5 cm (3 in). Cup. Weight: 132 g (4.7 oz). Dimesions of cube: 5 x 5 x 5 cm (2 x 2 x 2 in). 

Both the server and the cup are squared off and angular in shape. The server has a wooden lid and a removable brass handle. The server is a rectangular box, with an attached spout and two semicircles that serve as anchoring points for the handle, one in the upper center of the back side and one at the front of the top side just aft of the spout. The box proper is 6.5 cm (2-5/8 in) high; 9.7 cm (3-7/8 in) long, and 7.5 cm (3 in) wide. The lower edges of the sides are beveled inwards at about a 30-degree angle to form a flat rectangular base, 5.8 x 8.2 cm (2-5/16 x 3-1/4 in), about 0.6 cm (1/4 in) high. The artist’s sigil is incised into the center of the base. The two anchoring points for the handle are 2.5 cm (1 in) wide and 1 cm (3/8 in) high. The spout is a right triangle set flush with the top side of the box and located in the upper center of the front side. It is 3.1 cm (1-1/4 in) high, 2.7 cm (1-1/8 in) long, and 1.5 cm (5/8 in) wide. The pouring hole is a rectangle. The opening on the top of the box is another rectangle, located at the rear of the piece, 6.6 x 4.8 cm (2-5/8 x 1-7/8 in) in size. The lid is made of a fine-grained wood, 7.4 cm (2-15/16 in) square. The underside of the lid has a protruding rectangular piece slightly smaller than the hole in the top of the box that serves to anchor the lid on the box. The surface texture if the piece is slightly rough, like a fine-grained sandpaper. 

The cup is a rough cube, with irregular top edges. The bottom edges of the sides are beveled inwards at about a 45-degree angle. The cup sits on a flat base, roughly 4.2 cm (1-5/8 in) square. The center of the base is a shallow, squarish depression of irregular depth (at most one mm deep). The artist’s sigil is incised in this area of the base. The walls of the cup are covered with a series of very shallow striations, angling toward the left. The texture of the cup ranges from very smooth in the areas covered by vitrified ash glazing to slightly rough in the uncovered portions.

These were fired unglazed. Both pieces show the red hidasuki veins, produced by the interaction between rice straw and the Bizen clay. These are found on the bottom of the server and the bottom and sides of the cup. The bottoms of both pieces are otherwise largely the natural color of the clay. On the sides, kiln effects left colors in the tan, reddish brown, and dark brown ranges. On the server, the back side and the two long sides have large areas of vitrification from natural ash glazing. The sides of the cup are mostly covered with vitrified ash glazing. In some places this layer is quite heavy and thick. 

This came in a well-constructed, two-chamber box. The front of the box was inscribed by Isesaki in three lines: 備前 / 角酒器 / 創  Bizen / kaku shuki / Sō (Bizen-ware / square sake set / Sō), followed by the artist’s seal in red. Included in the box were a small printed biography and two dark blue wrapping cloths. 

Purchased from the Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto, Japan, in June 2024 (invoice, shipping and customs documents).

253. WATANABE Takuma, 1968­- , Bizen-ware drink server

253. WATANABE Takuma 渡邊琢磨, 1968­- , Bizen shuki   備前酒器  (Bizen-ware drink server), “Mirai no kaseki” ミライノカセキ (Future fossils) series, no. 151

 

For Watanabe, see item no. 231. 

Red clay, unglazed, with kiln effect colors in the dark reddish brown and dark gray colors. Weight: 292 g (10 oz). Height: 8.5 cm (3-3/8 in). Length: 15 cm (6 in). Width: 9 cm (3-5/8 in). 

This sits on a flat, circular base, 3.8 cm (1-1/2 in) in diameter. The center of the base is a shallow concavity. The artist’s sigil was incised into this area (see item 252 for the sigil). The body is egg-shaped with a katakuchi-style pouring spout. The egg is roughly 10.7 cm (4-1/4 in) long. The spout is located about three-fourths of the way up the body. As with other pieces in the Future Fossils series, the surface decoration copies features of old machinery. The surface is divided by faint lines into “plates” held together by screws. Protruding from the surface are molded switches, dials, conduits, braided cords, vents, and meters. A rectangular label inscribed “S 151” identifies this piece’s place in the series. The exterior texture is smooth; the interior has a grain like medium sandpaper. 

Fired unglazed. Most of the surface is a uniform dark gray. The bottom and the back side are a dark red. The piece was probably fired with the spout facing the heat and ash flow. 

This came in a wooden box inscribed by Watanabe in two lines: 備前酒器 / 琢磨  Bizen shuki / Takuma  (Bizen-ware drink server / Takuma), followed by the artist’s seal stamped in red (the seal has the seal form of the character 琢). Included in the box were a dark blue wrapping cloth and a potted biography. 

Purchased from Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto, Japan, June 2024 (invoice, shipping and customs documents)

252. WATANABE Takuma , 1968- , Bizen-ware sake cup

252.  WATANABE Takuma 渡邊琢磨, 1968- , Bizen sake-nomi  備前酒呑   (Bizen-ware sake cup)

For Watanabe, see item no. 231. 

Dark gray clay. Unglazed; surface colors in dark mahogany reds, grays, and black, with some vitrified natural ash glazing on the exterior. Weight: 110 g (4 oz). Height: 5 cm (2 in). Width: 6 cm (2-3/8 in). 

This sits on a roughly circular foot ring, 4.3 cm (1-3/4 in) in diameter and about 0.15 cm (1/16 in) high on the exterior. The interior of the foot ring was hollowed out to a depth of around 0.3 cm (1/8 in). Above the foot ring, the base juts out at about a 45-degree angle to the width of the cup. The artist’s sigil, |+<, was incised into this area of the cup. The proper orientation of the mark isn’t clear, but it appears from the buildup of the clay at the ends of the lines and its placement that it is to be viewed either in the way shown above or with the long line as the base. The walls rise in more or less straight lines, curving slightly inward at the rim. The exterior walls were shaped in a series of vertical panels. Each panel is decorated, either with carved geometric shapes in extremely shallow relief or with shallow striations. The interior mirrors the shape of the exterior. The surface is fairly smooth, with the exception of the rim, which is rather rough for a piece of this nature. 

This was fired unglazed. The surface colors are the results of kiln effects. Much of the exterior surface is covered with a sheen of vitrified natural ash glazing. 

This came in a wooden box, inscribed by Watanabe in two lines: 備前酒呑 / 琢磨 Bizen sake-nomi / Takuma (Bizen-ware sake cup / Takuma), followed by the artist’s seal stamped in red (the seal form of 琢). Included in the box were a dark blue wrapping cloth and a potted biography of the artist. 

This piece is not part of Watanabe’s Future Fossils series, but its surface decorations share many characteristics with those found on the pieces in that series. 

Purchased from Kura Monzen Gallery in Kyoto, Japan, June 2024 (invoice, shipping and customs documents)

251. ATARASHI Manabu, 1973- , Iga-ware hanging vase

251.  ATARASHI Manabu 新学, 1973-  , Iga kakehanaire  伊賀掛花入  (Iga-ware hanging vase)

 

For Atarashi, see item no. 222.  To quote Robert Mangold, the owner of the gallery that sold this piece, “Intensely fired multiple times to achieve the bidoro glass puddles and landscape effects which define his aesthetic, the geometric works add a contemporary sensibility to the traditional Iga style and transcend the realm of utilitarian crafts breaking into the sculptural domain. His work has proven innovative and challenging to the norm, taking his father’s tradition into the 21st century." 

Light gray clay, with many very small feldspar pebbles. Fired unglazed. Surface colors and effects in the gray to black range, with patches of dark reddish brown hi-iro 火色. A few spots of vitrified ash glaze. Weight: 1260 g (2.8 lb). Height: 36.5 cm (14-1/4 in). Width: 12.5 cm (4-7/8 in). 

This is roughly triangular in cross-section. The back is flatter in the center and nearer the top, with the edges curving to meet the side seams. The front side is bisected by a rough, irregular spine running vertically slightly left of center. To the left of this spine the wall is flattish; to the right and beginning at the top, several areas have been scooped out to form shallow concavities. Towards the bottom of the front side, the spine becomes less prominent, disappearing altogether just above the bottom. Here the two sides join to form a convex swelling. The bottom has a jutting promontory on both sides, the left one more pronounced and longer. At each side of the top at the seams between the front and back (the widest point of the piece) is a pointed, triangular protuberance. The interior is very irregular; it extends to about 2.5 cm (an inch) above the center bottom. The hole at the top is a rough oval, measuring 3.8 x 2.5 cm (1-1/2 x 1 in). The surface is smoothish, with some rough patches. There is a small metal hook on the upper back side for hanging the piece. This was inserted through a hole in the wall of the vase. 

This was fired unglazed. The remains of the posts used to separate the piece from the kiln shelves suggests that this was positioned with the back side up during the firing. The back side received a coating of ash, leaving it a mottled gray and black in color. The concavities on the right side of the front are reddish brown in color (hi-iro effects). The rest of the front is again a mottled gray and black. There are a few vitrified areas on the front of the vase, with a few streams of melted ash glaze on the right side. Except around the top, the interior of the piece lacks kiln effects. 

This came in a wooden box, inscribed by the artist, in three lines:  伊賀 / 掛花入 / 新学  (Iga / kakehanaire / Atarashi Manabu;  Iga-ware / hanging vase / Atarashi Manabu), followed by the artist’s seal stamped in red. Included in the box were a light blue wrapping cloth, also stamped in red with the artist’s seal, and a short printed biography of the artist in both Japanese and English. 

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

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)