Bizen ware plate

This is a newly fired Bizen ware plate by Takashi Soga, an artist who challenges the aesthetic of antiquity by recreating the exact environmental conditions under which ancient Bizen ware was fired. To replicate the style of the Old Bizen period, he eschews the use of modern refractory bricks, opting instead for a kiln where modern thermal efficiency standards do not apply. Consequently, the work transcends contemporary aesthetics, displaying an exquisite earthiness that rivals that of Old Bizen. The rich, mellow scarlet hue is not the result of under-firing, but rather the natural coloration of the clay after a thorough vitrification, brilliantly recreating the intense scarlet skin typical of the Old Bizen style. The *hidasuki* (fire-cord) markings are blackened in response to the high-density firing, creating a magnificent finish reminiscent of the scenery seen on large Old Bizen bowls, where black fire-cords overlay a red ground. Furthermore, the entire surface is covered in an unusually fine, ink-colored *kase-goma* (matte ash glaze), with smokey kiln-alterations so deep they make the piece appear as if it had absorbed the smoke like an air filter. These are kiln effects rarely seen in contemporary Bizen ware, making this a masterpiece that serves as a profound reminder of the uniqueness of Soga's kiln. Paper box
Diameter 20.5cm x 19.3cm x Height 4.0cm Takashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984. He studied under Jun Isezaki in 2009 and built his own kiln in Kuguizaka, Bizen City, in 2012. He became independent and began his career as a potter in 2013.