Ibe Beer Mug

It features a jet-black surface perfected through a unique multi-stage high-temperature firing process. While the black color is typically achieved by repeatedly applying iron-rich yellow ochre during firing, which can often result in a mixture of various hues including reddish-brown, this particular piece is a true black, devoid of any other colors. Even within its modern form, one can sense a kinship with traditional glasswork culture. Perhaps it is this monochromatic black color scheme, which is not an exaggeration to say approximates transparency in a sense, that evokes this feeling. This is an Ibe beer cup by Yoshinobu Morimoto, an artist with an exceptional aesthetic sense who is constantly evolving in his mastery of clay, firing, and craftsmanship. It features a jet-black surface perfected through a unique multi-stage high-temperature firing process. While the black color is typically achieved by repeatedly applying iron-rich yellow ochre during firing, which can often result in a mixture of various hues including reddish-brown, this particular piece is a true black, devoid of any other colors. Even within its modern form, one can sense a kinship with traditional glasswork culture. Perhaps it is this monochromatic black color scheme, which is not an exaggeration to say approximates transparency in a sense, that evokes this feeling. Signed wooden box (double-braced)
Diameter 7.4cm × Diameter 7.3cm × Height 12.4cm Yoshinobu Morimoto was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1976. He completed his studies at the Bizen Pottery Center in 1996. After working independently, he held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2004. Since then, he has held solo exhibitions every year, primarily in Tokyo and across the country. In 2005, 2006, and 2007, his work was selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art's "Tea Ceremony Design Exhibition." In 2008, he participated in the "Contemporary Artists Sake Cup Exhibition" at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi in Tokyo. In 2009, he participated in the "Contemporary Artists Tea Bowl Exhibition" at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi in Tokyo. In 2010, he held a solo exhibition titled "Yoshinobu Morimoto Special Feature" at Tenmaya in Okayama, among many other exhibitions held throughout the country.