Black Cup

This is a newly fired black sake cup by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and who breathes new life into the world of Bizen ware through his exceptional sense and masterful sculpting ability. The flared form allowed the piece to receive the maximum benefit of the powerful hot air from the anagama kiln, resulting in a landscape that looks as if one is peering into deep space from within a galaxy. The shell marks, which prevent the pieces from sticking to each other while also serving as a stylish accent, resemble planets shining in the universe. The entire underside is covered in sesame glaze, and given its unique shape, it appears to have been fired while placed over the mouth of another vessel. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 9.8cm × Diameter 9.2cm × Height 4.0cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen ware; his grandfather was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki. Koichiro himself aspired to be a ceramic artist from an early age. After graduating from the sculpture department of Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He studied ceramics for approximately two years under Jeff Shapiro, a ceramic artist based in New York City, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under the guidance of his father and his father's apprentices. In 2002, he submitted a piece to the Tanabe Museum of Art’s Tea Ceremony Exhibition, where it was selected for the first time.