Hikidashi black tea bowl

This is a newly fired *hikidashiguro* (pulled-black) tea bowl by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and has brought a breath of fresh air to the world of Bizen ware with his exceptional sense and masterful shaping ability. It was created by tearing two lumps of clay apart before stacking them and coiling them by hand; the resulting tear marks remain as a dynamic, rock-like landscape that exudes immense power. Because it was placed in the firebox and then extracted, the piece received a significant amount of *goma* (ash glaze) across its entire surface, which fused with the black slip and shifted into shades of indigo and pale green upon being pulled from the kiln, making the whole work appear like a raw gemstone. While it is an artificial object in the form of a tea bowl, it also possesses the quality of a natural gemstone; "a tea bowl made of jewels" is the perfect description for this mystical work. Signed wooden box to follow (please allow some time for delivery).
Diameter 14.3cm × Diameter 13.2cm × Height 8.1cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen ware, with his grandfather being the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki and his uncle the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki; Koichiro himself aspired to become a ceramic artist 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 ceramics for approximately two years under the mentorship of New York-based ceramic artist Jeff Shapiro, significantly broadening his perspective on art and ceramics. After returning to Japan in 2000, he trained under his father alongside his father's other apprentices. In 2002, his work was exhibited and selected for the first time at the Tanabe Art Museum Tea Ceremony Exhibition.