Hello everyone. How are you all doing?
The rainy season has truly begun here in Okayama, and as I haven't been going out much due to the constant rain lately,
I feel as though my usual lack of exercise has only been compounded.
I really must exercise indoors and aim for a slimmer physique.
Speaking of slim figures, today I would like to introduce Ichiyo-sensei’s crane-neck flower vase.
Crane-neck pieces require a specific swelling of the body, a constricted neck, and a sense of beauty in the overall height and curvature; it is a difficult form that truly tests the artist's sensitivity to "line" and their sense of balance.
It is a delicate craft where a single deformation can elevate the whole work to new heights of beauty, or ruin it completely.
From that perspective, I am always amazed by the incredible sense of balance Ichiyo-sensei possesses whenever I see his work.
In this rigorous world, even if you create one wonderful piece, it can often be dismissed as a "fluke."
However, when I visited his studio and was shown many of his crane-neck vases, I became convinced.
These were not the result of chance, but creations born from the realm of inevitability.
Every single crane-neck vase displayed such a high level of perfection and a beautiful, elegant stance.
I am very much looking forward to seeing how Ichiyo-sensei will soar even higher from here and what kind of "lines" he will show us next.