Shuten "Shino"

This is a Shino sake cup by Toru Ichikawa, who studied under Ryuichi Kakinozaki and made a striking debut. It is an exceptionally creative work that embodies Ichikawa's style of giving form to his endless stream of ideas through the supreme medium of clay. While Ichikawa is noted for his original designs, he skillfully incorporates traditional Shino ceramic techniques into his work. This piece features a bold mix of styles, with Shino feldspar glaze fired to an intense madder red color splashed daringly over the surface, while the areas where the glaze has splattered reveal the traditional Shino iron oxide (bengara) and Bizen-style clay beneath. While it adopts a traditional Shino style, the form itself features the diagonal fluting that has become Ichikawa's signature, representing a perfect balance between innovation and the aesthetic of wabi-sabi. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 7.5cm × Diameter 7.2cm × Height 5.9cm Toru Ichikawa was born in Tokyo. He began his apprenticeship under Ryuichi Kakinozaki in June 2011 and established his own studio in Tamano, Okayama Prefecture, in January 2015.