Kiln-transmutation bowl

This is a kiln-altered bowl by Masao Akitani, an artist who studied under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and creates works brimming with a unique sense of originality within a fresh aesthetic. The stepped design of the rim is quintessentially Akitani, exuding a chic, urban atmosphere. The clay, which has a slightly lustrous metallic grey finish characteristic of a wood-fired kiln, is softly draped with a vermilion *hidasuki* (fire-cord) marking. The piece is fired so that the yellow *goma* (ash glaze) and scorched *goma* switch sides halfway, creating a visual effect where the stepped shape seems to divide perfectly in two, with the kiln-altered colors further enhancing the form. Paper box
Diameter 22.8cm × Diameter 21.4cm × Height 8.0cm Masao Akitani was born in Saitama in 1968. In 1998, he began a ten-year apprenticeship under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, after which he established his own kiln in Bizen and became independent in 2008. He held his first kiln firing in 2009. His work has been selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art's "Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition" and the Japan Kogei Association Chugoku Branch Exhibition, and he has received awards including the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition Prize and the Encouragement Award.