"Kagutsuchi" Shuten Teru

This is "Kagutsuchi" sake cup by Toru Ichikawa, who made a brilliant debut after studying under Ryuichi Kakurezaki. It is an exceptionally creative work that is typical of Ichikawa-sensei, who gives form to his inexhaustible ideas through the supreme material of clay. This sake cup is from his new "Kagutsuchi" series, a bold, latest work inspired by "Hinokagutsuchi-no-kami," the god of fire in Japanese mythology. As if to recreate the myth of Hinokagutsuchi, who was born burning the body of his mother, Izanami-no-mikoto, the piece features an intense, crackled kairagi glaze achieved by pushing the shrinkage rate of the glaze to its absolute limit, as if the work itself were being burned through. Since the fire god is also worshipped as the god of blacksmithing, I believe this work embodies Ichikawa-sensei's pride in the act of creation through fire that is ceramics. The glaze, designed to create a monochrome effect with the clay body, stands out due to the intense kairagi, radiating a truly unique presence that resembles snow or perhaps a living organism. It feels substantial and large when held in the hand, as if his overflowing ideas have taken the form of clay and are pulsing with life. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Diameter 8.5cm x Diameter 8.1cm x Height 6.9cm Toru Ichikawa was born in Tokyo. He began studying under Ryuichi Kakurezaki in June 2011 and became independent in Tamano City, Okayama Prefecture, in January 2015.