Bizen Black Sake Cup

This is a Bizen black sake cup by Takashi Baba, an artist born in Imbe who has loved Bizen ware since childhood and finds his life's joy in creating works and firing kilns. It is no exaggeration to say that this sake cup has been fired to the absolute limit, with a *haikaburi* (ash-covered) kiln transformation so raised that the texture prickles the fingers. The intense firing has caused the black surface to react, manifesting a vivid cobalt blue as brilliant as a gemstone. The beauty of the facets is emphasized by the spatula cuttings, and the vibrant black and blue provide an endlessly captivating experience. Signed wooden box (double-slat lid)
Diameter 6.6cm x 6.3cm x Height 5.9cm Takashi Baba was born in 1983 as the eldest son of Bizen ware artist Shosuke Baba. Thinking from a young age that he would become a potter, he chose to study sculpture in university to broaden the scope of his ceramic art. After graduating from the Tokyo University of the Arts sculpture department in 2006, he entered the Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology and Culture to refine his skills. He became independent in 2007 and held his first solo exhibition. He is currently active, focusing primarily on solo exhibitions at department stores.