Bizen White Sake Cup

This Bizen white sake cup was freshly fired 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 extraordinary sense and skillful sculpting ability. By tearing a large ball of clay into two pieces and joining them together before forming the sphere, he masterfully incorporates the rugged "face of the earth" from the tear marks into the work. Using white clay from Imbe, the piece features a soft white base, while the interior showcases a sparkling champagne gold earthen texture. Furthermore, a generous amount of rich, golden sesame glaze (goma) has been applied, creating a stunning contrast between white and gold.

View blog post about the "Face of the Earth" Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 9.5cm × Diameter 9.0cm × Height 5.8cm Koichiro Isezaki was born as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious name in Bizen pottery; his grandfather was Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki, so he aspired to become a ceramic artist from an early age. After graduating from the sculpture department at Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He studied pottery for approximately two years under Jeff Shapiro, a ceramic artist based in New York City, which greatly expanded 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 work to the Tanabe Museum of Art's Tea Ceremony Exhibition for the first time and was selected.