Bizen ash-covered sake cup

This is a new Bizen "haikaburi" (ash-covered) sake cup by Yoshinobu Morimoto, an artist with a superb aesthetic sense who continues to evolve in his mastery of clay, firing, and form. It is a work fired to a crisp, resonant hardness from the rim down to the base. The abundant yellow "goma" (sesame) glaze wraps the piece in a thick veil, evoking the true delight of returning to the fundamental essence of pottery. The "toro-toro" (melted/smooth) quality of the clay inside the cup is brought into sharp focus, while the simplicity of the form allows one to enjoy the richness of the colors directly. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included.
Diameter 6.3cm × Diameter 5.8cm × Height 5.8cm 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 annual solo exhibitions across Japan, with a focus on Tokyo. He was selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art’s "Chanoyu Molding Exhibition" in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2008, he exhibited at the "Contemporary Artists' Sake Vessels Exhibition" at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo, and in 2009 at the "Contemporary Artists' Tea Bowl Exhibition" at the same venue. In 2010, he held a special feature exhibition at Tenmaya in Okayama, among many other solo exhibitions held throughout the country.