Bizen Yohen Sake Cup

This is a Bizen yohen sake cup by Yoshiteru Koriki, a popular young artist and apprentice to the master Sozan Kaneshige. This latest piece was removed from the kiln in January 2017, and its exquisite firing has resulted in a masterpiece with a superb balance between the scarlet hue and the kiln transformation. The well-fired ash-covered yohen has taken on a very elegant matte finish, with silver carbonization blended into the soft gray gradation, creating a profound and flavorful landscape. Despite being fired so intensely, the vitality of the clay remains unbroken, and as if drawn to the flames to burn its life away, it has developed a vivid orange color. The interior side features a small, charming circular mark, a signature detail of Koriki's work. The wide and thick foot, reminiscent of Sozan Kaneshige's style, pairs perfectly with the relatively thin rim, resulting in a piece that balances a comfortable weight in the hand with a stable presence. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 6.6cm x Diameter 6.5cm x Height 5.6cm Yoshiteru Koriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Influenced by his pottery-loving father, he pursued a path in ceramics, and after graduating high school, he apprenticed under the father-son duo of Sozan and Yuho Kaneshige starting in 1989 to master the craft. Following seven years of training, he built his own climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 to strike out on his own, and successfully completed his first firing the following year. He held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2000 and has held annual exhibitions ever since. In 1999, he was selected for the "Exhibition of Northern Confectionery Containers I Want to Use," and in 2002, he was selected for the "Tea Ceremony Modeling Exhibition" for the first time.