Bizen tea cup

This Bizen teacup is by Masao Akitani, an artist who studied under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and creates works overflowing with unique originality within a new spirit. This is Masao Akitani’s first new work in approximately two years since his last firing. It is an incredibly elaborate teacup utilizing the *shinogi* (fluted) technique, which is a hallmark of the Isezaki school. During firing, it was placed in an ideal location where it was well-coated in *goma* (ash glaze), which reacts to the high and low points of the fluted design to form a dynamic landscape. Due to the nature of the *shinogi* technique—which involves trimming a thick, wheel-thrown piece—such works tend to be relatively heavy, but this piece is as practically lightweight as a standard wheel-thrown cup. (*Please note in advance that there is a chip in the fluted section, as shown in the seventh photo.) Paper box
Diameter 7.5cm × Diameter 7.4cm × Height 8.9cm Masao Akitani was born in Saitama in 1968. He studied under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki starting in 1998, and after a ten-year apprenticeship, he built his own kiln in Bizen and became independent in 2008. He held his first kiln opening in 2009. He has been selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art's "Forms of Tea Ceremony" exhibition and the Japan Kōgei Association Chugoku Branch exhibition, and has received awards including the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition Award and the Encouragement Award.