Inbe Tokkuri

This is a new Ibe sake flask by Yasuhito Abe, an artist who creates one-of-a-kind works through unique research and firing techniques, driven by his deep insight and aesthetic sense regarding ancient pottery. His distinctive Ibe-style texture—as if red, black, and brown pigments were boiled down to achieve their color—is characterized by a depth and richness that is truly peerless. The generous application of yellow sesame glaze, true to Abe's credo that "pottery must be fired," features a tangible thickness to the glaze itself, pairing perfectly with the dense Ibe surface. Its profound, weighty character rivals that of ancient Bizen ware, possessing a power that makes this new work seem as though centuries have already passed. Signed wooden box (shiho-san, double-layered box)
Rim 3.7cm × Body 9.2cm × Body 8.6cm × Height 14.6cm; Capacity approx. 420cc Yasuhito Abe was originally a Western-style painter. He began collecting pottery as a hobby, but finding contemporary Bizen ware unsatisfactory, he began his own pottery practice in 1972 to create works that met his own standards. He frequently creates water jars, flower vases, flattened vases, bowls, sake flasks, and sake cups, all wheel-thrown and finished with a spatula. He bases his pottery on the ancient Bizen ware of the Momoyama period and is deeply committed to his firing techniques. He also engages in diverse forms of expression, presenting works (mixed media) that combine various materials and techniques such as ceramics, lacquer, oil painting, and bronze. He holds exhibitions energetically both in Japan and abroad, including in Tokyo, Osaka, New York, and Paris.