Bizen Sake Cup

A new Bizen sake cup, fresh from the kiln by popular young artist Yoshiteru Koriki, an apprentice of the master Sozan Kaneshige. This latest work, removed from the kiln in late September 2017, is an excellent piece that showcases the reliable quality characteristic of Koriki, yet with a rich variety. This piece features the classic *haikaburi* (ash-covered) kiln transformation scenery typical of traditional Bizen sake ware, with colors like black, purple, and gray overlapping to create a complex and impressive aesthetic. The sharply defined *kumadori* (shading) and the fresh *nuke* (uncovered areas) possess an alluring quality, fully conveying the charm of Bizen ware through the "firing technique that breathes life into the clay," which he learned from the masters Sozan and Yuho Kaneshige. In contrast to the intense ash coverage, the *nuke* sections retain a truly diverse array of colors; with areas gleaming from gold-like highlights and others displaying a rich, dense *shiso* (reddish-purple) hue, the finish allows one to feel the profound depth of Bizen clay. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 6.8cm x 6.5cm x Height 6.3cm Yoshiteru Koriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Inspired by his pottery-loving father, he aspired to a career in ceramics. After graduating from high school in 1989, he studied under the masters Sozan and Yuho Kaneshige to master the craft. After seven years of apprenticeship, he established his own climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 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 "Exhibition of North Country Confectionery Vessels I Want to Use," and in 2002, he was selected for the "Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition" for the first time.