Bizen Sake Cup

This Bizen sake cup is the work of Shusaku Taku, an artist who transforms the inspirations of daily life into form, using as his base the tradition of Bizen ware—a craft matured through close association with the lives of people over countless generations. The body, carefully built using the coil method, features a unique, uneven texture that brings out the rustic, unadorned charm characteristic of earthenware. It showcases a magnificent *hidasuki* (fire-cord) marking, which seems to be the perfect fruition of Taku's dedication to researching clay. Even with its deep scarlet hue, the color has a slightly muted quality, which, when combined with the coarse texture of the clay, creates a remarkably refined and sophisticated expression. Signed wooden box (double-slat lid)
Diameter 7.2cm × Diameter 7.2cm × Height 5.0cm Shusaku Taku was born in 1980 as the eldest son of Mamoru Taku. He graduated from the Arita College of Ceramics in Saga Prefecture in 2001 and began his apprenticeship under his father. In 2002, he received the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education Superintendent's Award at the Japan Traditional Kogei Chugoku Branch Exhibition. In 2004, he won the Excellence Award at the Tanabe Museum of Art Tea Ceremony Molding Exhibition. He has also had works selected for the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition and the Japan Traditional Kogei Chugoku Branch Exhibition.