Bizen ware plate

This Bizen plate is by Takashi Soga, an artist who challenges the beauty of antiquity by recreating the environment in which ancient Bizen pottery was fired. To replicate the style of the Old Bizen period, he forgoes the use of modern firebricks, utilizing a kiln where modern logic regarding thermal efficiency simply does not apply. As a result, the pieces exhibit a supreme earthen quality that transcends contemporary aesthetics and approaches the level of Old Bizen. The mellow scarlet hue is not the result of underfiring, but rather the natural color of the clay achieved through high-fire vitrification, brilliantly recreating the strong scarlet skin characteristic of Old Bizen. The *hidasuki* (fire-cord) markings have also darkened in accordance with the hard firing, creating a magnificent finish reminiscent of the red-ground, black-corded scenery seen on large Old Bizen bowls. Various innovations have also been applied to the form; while the rolled rim (*tamabuchi*) evokes the essence of Old Bizen, the underside features a meticulously shaved foot for stability, resulting in a piece that balances an antique aesthetic with modern usability. Paper box
Diameter 19.0cm × 19.0cm × Height 4.4cm Takashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984. He studied under Jun Isezaki in 2009 and built his own kiln in Kuku-i, Bizen City, in 2012. He became independent and began his career as a ceramic artist in 2013.