Bizen Sake Cup

This Bizen sake cup by Shusaku Taku is a piece that gives form to the various inspirations of daily life, drawing upon the Bizen-yaki tradition that has matured alongside the continuous activities of people throughout history. The form, slowly built up using the coil technique, possesses a power reminiscent of a crag. This coiling method also succeeds in terms of usability, as the shoulder, where the clay rises in undulating swells, tapers effectively, making it very comfortable to hold. It has been fired with a mist-like, fine-grained *goma* (ash glaze), resulting in a rich, dense glaze that clings to the surface. Furthermore, this mist-like *goma* also affects the character of the clay, reacting with the iron content to create intriguing markings in shades of black and yellow ocher. Signed wooden box (lid with two battens)
Diameter 6.7cm × Diameter 6.7cm × Height 5.7cm Shusaku Taku was born in 1980 as the eldest son of Mamoru Taku. In 2001, he graduated from the Arita College of Ceramics in Saga Prefecture and began his apprenticeship under his father. In 2002, he received the Okayama Prefecture Board of Education Superintendent's Award at the Japan Traditional Kogei Chugoku Branch Exhibition. In 2004, he received the Excellence Award at the Tanabe Art Museum Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition. He has also been selected for the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition and the Japan Traditional Kogei Chugoku Branch Exhibition.