Bizen ware sake cup

This is a brand new Bizen sake cup, freshly fired by Yoshiteru Kōriki, a popular young ceramic artist who was a live-in apprentice to the late master Sozan Kaneshige. Fired at the end of September 2017, this latest work showcases the consistent high quality for which Kōriki is known, while presenting a masterpiece of varied character. This piece features the quintessential Bizen style of *haikaburi* (ash-covered) kiln transformation, with the intensity of the flames evident where parts of the ash have carbonized into a black-silver hue. The sharply defined *kumadori* (flame patterns) and the fresh, nuanced *nuke* (uncovered areas) possess an alluring charm, fully conveying the appeal of Bizen ware through the "method of firing that brings the clay to life," a philosophy he learned under the tutelage of Sozan and Arihuni Kaneshige. The exceptionally wide, skirt-like foot is a signature style of his mentor Sozan Kaneshige, and the design, which balances both strength and allure, clearly reflects the dedicated efforts of Kōriki to approach the greatness of his master over the last decade or so. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 6.9cm x 6.7cm x Height 6.7cm Yoshiteru Kōriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Influenced by his father, a pottery enthusiast, he aspired to pursue a career in ceramics. After graduating from high school in 1989, he apprenticed under Sozan and Arihuni Kaneshige, a father-son duo, to hone his craft. Following seven years of training, he built a climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 to strike out on his own, and successfully completed his first firing the following year. He held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2000 and has held annual solo exhibitions ever since. In 1999, he was selected for the "Northern Confectionery Vessels I'd Like to Use" exhibition, and in 2002, he was selected for the "Tea Ceremony Forms" exhibition for the first time.