Bizen Yohen Large Sake Cup

This is a Bizen yohen (kiln-transformed) large sake cup by Yoshiteru Koriki, a popular young ceramic artist and former live-in apprentice to the master Sozan Kaneshige. We commissioned Professor Koriki to create this sake vessel specifically, inspired by the grand, oversized cups favored by ancient warlords. The piece is crafted from thick-layered mountain clay, resulting in a texture that is rich yet possesses a withered, austere elegance distinct from other types of clay. Despite its bold 14cm width, which might typically demand intense attention, the wabi-sabi aesthetic of the dried, austere clay perfectly envelops its presence, creating an exquisite balance. The rich, viscous scarlet "nuke" (color variation) in the interior not only makes sake look beautiful, but amidst the surrounding hard-fired landscape, it creates a scene that is as fleeting and beautiful as the clay itself burning with life, drawing the viewer in uncontrollably. Original signed wooden box (shiho-zan) included.
Diameter 14.1cm × Diameter 14.0cm × Height 5.2cm Yoshiteru Koriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Influenced by his pottery-loving father, he pursued a career in ceramics. After graduating from high school in 1989, he studied ceramic techniques under the master Sozan Kaneshige and his son Yuho. After seven years of training, he built his own climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 and struck out on his own, successfully firing his first kiln the following year. He held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2000 and has held exhibitions annually ever since. In 1999, his work was selected for the "Northern Confectionery Container Exhibition," and in 2002, he was selected for the "Tea Ceremony Sculpture Exhibition" for the first time.