Kuroshuten

This is a new black sake cup by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and who breathes new life into the world of Bizen ware with his exceptional sense and masterful modeling skills. He builds the clay upward as if weaving it with his fingers; the serene sculptural beauty achieved through hand-kneading matches the profound depth of the black color. The frosted-glass-like "kase" surface that coats the entire body like a membrane is magnificent, possessing an appearance that truly represents the ultimate form of black, as if it were capable of extinguishing even light itself. The unique technique of tearing and then pressing the clay outward, combined with the matte surface, makes the piece appear as if it were frosted glass that had been kneaded and rounded by hand. The black on the exterior is tinged with cobalt blue, giving it a slight bluish hue, while the black in the interior is a completely matte, charcoal-like black, making it a delight to compare the two. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 8.6cm × Diameter 8.0cm × Height 6.2cm 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 the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki, so he aspired to be a potter from an early age. After graduating from the sculpture department of Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He learned ceramics 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 trained under the guidance of his father alongside his father's apprentices. In 2002, he submitted a work to the Tanabe Museum of Art Tea Ceremony Exhibition for the first time, where it was selected.