Bizen sake cup

This Bizen sake cup is by Koichiro Isezaki, who was born the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and has brought a fresh breeze to the world of Bizen ware with his exceptional sense and masterful modeling skills. The design is deliberately the polar opposite of his previous works, with the wheel-thrown form featuring a foot offering a refreshing aesthetic. While his previous pieces were carved from the inside out, this work features subtle shavings on the exterior, an imaginative creation that could be called "The Other Side of Koichiro." In contrast to his past work, the rim is thick and features a triangular drinking spout; while enjoying its rustic and user-friendly feel, comparing it to his traditional works reveals the artist's philosophy behind his pottery. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Diameter 7.3cm x Diameter 7.3cm x Height 6.3cm Koichiro Isezaki was born the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family is a prestigious line of Bizen pottery masters; his grandfather was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Yozan Isezaki, and his uncle was the Intangible Cultural Property holder Mitsuru Isezaki. Koichiro aspired to be a potter from an early age. After graduating from the Department of Sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, he studied abroad in the United States. He spent approximately two years studying ceramics under New York-based potter Jeff Shapiro, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and pottery. After returning to Japan in 2000, he continued his training under the guidance of his father alongside his father's apprentices. He first submitted work to and was selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art Tea Ceremony Exhibition in 2002.