Bizen Mountain Clay Fire-Sash Sake Cup

This is a newly kiln-fired Bizen mountain clay *hi-dasuki* sake cup by Yoshiteru Koriki, a popular young artist and former live-in apprentice to the master Sozan Kaneshige. This latest work was taken from the kiln in January 2017 and marks the artist's first attempt at using mountain clay instead of rice field clay for his *hi-dasuki* (fire-cord) technique. Unlike traditional *mogusa* clay *hi-dasuki* fired in an electric kiln, this piece features a reddish-brown clay body infused with natural textures such as grit and iron, resulting in a rustic and austere aesthetic that contrasts with the elegant and flamboyant style of standard *mogusa* *hi-dasuki*. True to Koriki-sensei’s meticulous clay preparation, the surface is wonderfully smooth and moist, as if condensing only the finest qualities of the mountain clay. The cup was hand-formed slowly over time, a process that perfectly complements the warm, maroon and crimson tones of the mountain clay *hi-dasuki*. Signed wooden box to follow (please allow some time for shipping)
Diameter 7.5cm × Diameter 7.3cm × Height 5.4cm Yoshiteru Koriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Influenced by his father’s love for ceramics, he pursued a career in pottery and, after graduating from high school, apprenticed under the father-son duo of Sozan and Yuho Kaneshige starting in 1989. After seven years of training, he built his own climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 to establish his independence, firing his first successful kiln the following year. He held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2000 and has held annual exhibitions ever since. In 1999, his work was selected for the "Exhibition of Confectionery Vessels I Want to Use," and in 2002, he was selected for the "Exhibition of Tea Ceremony Forms" for the first time.