Inbe Hidasuki Hisago Tokkuri

This is an Ibe-hidaski gourd sake bottle by the immensely popular Yuho Kaneshige, the third son of the tea ceramics master Sozan Kaneshige. His style is characterized by a lightness and elegance that belies the weight of the tradition he carries. The soft, slumped form feels increasingly like "freshly thrown, still-wet clay" the more one looks at it, a result, I believe, of the perfect harmony between the artist's technique and his reverence for the clay. The deeply flavorful fire-cord (hidaski) markings harmonize with these qualities without detracting from them. (*Please note in advance that this is an earlier work, though it shows little sign of use.) Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Mouth 3.3cm × Body Diameter 10.4cm × Body Diameter 10.1cm × Height 10.0cm; Capacity approx. 370cc Yuho Kaneshige was born as the third son of Intangible Cultural Property holder Sozan Kaneshige. He studied pottery under his father, Sozan, beginning in 1975. He became independent in 1980 and held his first solo exhibition in Okayama. He produces tableware, focusing primarily on tea ceramics such as tea bowls, water jars, and flower vases. With tea bowls in particular—his preferred form—he prioritizes the interior structure (mikomi) while pursuing balance in the exterior. He has received the Sanyo Shimbun Prize at the Prefectural Exhibition, the Encouragement Prize at the Exhibition of Tea Ceremony Forms, and the Tanko Biennale Encouragement Prize. In 2003, he received the Japan Ceramic Society Award. He is also active in holding solo exhibitions in various locations.