Hikidashi-guro sake cup

This is a *hikidashi-guro* (pulled-black) sake cup by Masao Akiya, an artist who studied under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki and creates works brimming with a unique sense of originality within a fresh aesthetic. Its charm lies in the mystical appearance captured directly from the interior of an ultra-high-temperature kiln—a space inaccessible to humans—achieved through the *hikidashi-guro* technique that has become a trademark of the Isezaki school. Because the pieces are intentionally placed in front of the fire to achieve this "pulling" effect, the black slip applied to the surface is washed away by a large amount of ash, and the subsequent extraction and rapid cooling create a unique landscape of blended black, blue, and amber hues. Furthermore, it features excellent *goma* (ash glaze) inside the cup—the true thrill of the *hikidashi* technique—with the ash having melted into a thick, flowing, obsidian-like glaze that has solidified in place. In addition to its unique spherical form, the exterior features sharp, swift spatula marks, as if the piece were carved into its shape with a drill or similar tool. (*Note: There is a flake on the shell mark near the foot, as seen in the 6th photo.) Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 7.3cm x Diameter 7.3cm x Height 6.2cm Masao Akiya was born in Saitama in 1968. In 1998, he began a 10-year apprenticeship under Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, after which he established his own kiln in Bizen and became independent in 2008. He held his first kiln firing in 2009. His work has been selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art "Tea Ceremony Forms" exhibition and the Japan Kogei Association Chugoku Branch exhibition, and he has received awards including the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition Prize and Encouragement Prize.