Bizen sake cup

This is a new black sake cup by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and is breathing new life into the Bizen pottery world with his exceptional sense and masterful sculpting ability. Marking a major shift from his previous cut-centric forms, this piece suggests a leap to a new stage, expressed through soft curves created by hand-kneading. The cup was formed by pressing and expanding the clay with vertical finger movements; the fine ridges and indentations covering the surface, combined with the cuts at the base, create a unique atmosphere. The scarlet clay texture and yellow sesame-glaze effects characteristic of Koichiro have been transformed into a sensuous expression quite different from his usual work through this hand-kneading technique. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 8.0cm x Diameter 7.8cm x Height 6.3cm Koichiro Isezaki was born the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen pottery, with his grandfather, the late Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle, the late Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki, leading him to pursue pottery from an early age. After graduating from the Department of Sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He learned pottery for about two years under Jeff Shapiro, a potter based in New York City, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he continued his training under his father's guidance alongside his father’s students. In 2002, he submitted a piece to the Tanabe Museum of Art’s Tea Ceremony Exhibition for the first time, where it was selected for the exhibition.