Bizen teacup

This is a new Bizen tea cup by Jumpei Kaneshige, the eldest son of Kosuke Kaneshige, a leading master of the Kaneshige lineage. It is a wonderful cup that does not assert an overwhelming personality directly, but instead offers a gentle enjoyment through the soft colors of the *goma* (sesame ash glaze) and the variations of the clay in different areas. In terms of its crafting, he does not force or strain the clay, but instead embeds a subtle sense of "individuality" into a form that yields to the natural stretch of the clay on the potter's wheel. The piece does not evoke the raging fire of the kiln, but rather feels as though it is resting on a soft bed of earth. It is a work that reminds you of the essential craftsmanship that precedes the throwing and firing processes, the longer you hold it. Signed wooden box (double-slatted lid)
Diameter 8.2cm x Diameter 8.2cm x Height 9.7cm Jumpei Kaneshige was born in Komaba, Tokyo, in 1972 as the eldest son of Kosuke Kaneshige. He graduated from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Waseda University in 1994. In 2000, he completed a master's degree in sculpture at Long Island University in New York, USA, and upon returning to Japan, he began his apprenticeship under his father, Kosuke Kaneshige.