Hello everyone, how are you doing?
Today marks the third installment in our introduction of Mr. Morimoto’s new works.
The piece I am introducing today is a white-slip katakuchi (spouted bowl) that caught my eye the moment I saw it.
It is a captivating piece, featuring a calm, white-slip hue reminiscent of Joseon dynasty Gyeryongsan ware, accented by bold iron-brushed designs.
While bright, clean white ceramics are lovely, a "withered" white like this is quite rare, making this a masterpiece that truly stirs the *wabi-sabi* spirit.
Of course, it can be used as a sake server, but I think using it as a small spouted bowl for side dishes also carries a wonderful atmosphere.
The photo above shows the "E-Hakeme Katakuchi," where the white slip was applied using a straw brush,
while the photo below shows the "Iron-Painted Katakuchi," created by pouring the white slip over the surface.
(It is called iron-painted because it is not brush-painted, nor is it fully glazed.)
The white slip on these pieces is applied using a bundle of thin rice straw.
These works capture the effect of that straw application beautifully;
the gentle unevenness and the streaks that suggest momentum are devoid of affectation, showing only the most essential level of refinement.
Is it perhaps this lack of excess that creates the "beauty of utility" and so deeply stirs our *wabi-sabi* sensibilities?
Below is the "Iron-Painted Katakuchi."
This is the "Iron-Painted Katakuchi" created via the slip-pouring method.
Without the unevenness of a brush, one can better enjoy the soft hue of the white slip,
and the black iron spots are more prominent, allowing you to fully savor this season's signature "withered" white finish.
What did you think of Mr. Morimoto’s *wabi-sabi* white-slip pieces?
Why does this "withered" white, which looks as if it has been used for decades, resonate so deeply within us?
Just as we are more drawn to the subtle texture of a well-worn iron kettle than the harsh, cold shine of modern stainless steel,
or the way we find beauty in the darkened beams of an old folk house rather than the luxurious luster of new timber,
I believe this white slip expresses the "impermanence" that perfectly aligns with the Japanese aesthetic value,
a "view of life and death" characterized by the cycle of decay and dissolution.
(Yoshinobu Morimoto / E-Kohiki Katakuchi - size: 14.7cm dia. x 11.2cm dia. x 8.0cm height - Sold)
(Yoshinobu Morimoto / Iron-Painted Katakuchi - size: 14.3cm dia. x 11.0cm dia. x 7.9cm height - price: 20,000 yen)
(*Due to the design, sake may drip when pouring; please wipe it away or let it settle into the vessel while using.)
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