Kuro Mentori Chaki

This black faceted tea caddy is the work of Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and has breathed new life into the world of Bizen ware with his exceptional sense and masterful sculpting ability. He creates these innovative tea vessels by shaping the clay into a cylinder and then cutting the sides. The interior transitions sharply from white clay to the red of a full *hidasuki* (fire-cord) pattern, creating a magnificent color contrast with both the green of the tea and the black of the exterior. The faceted form and the detached lid give it an atmosphere reminiscent of a *shokugo* (food container). Signed wooden box (four-way tenon)
Diameter 6.1cm × Diameter 6.0cm × Height 9.0cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen ware; his grandfather was Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was 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 trained under ceramic artist Jeff Shapiro in New York City for about two years, greatly broadening his perspective on art and pottery. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under the guidance of his father alongside his father's apprentices. In 2002, he submitted work to the Tanabe Museum of Art's Tea Ceremony Exhibition for the first time, where it was selected.