Bizen ware beer mug

This is a brand new Bizen beer mug, just out of the kiln by the popular young artist Yoshiteru Kouriki, a personal apprentice to the master Sozan Kaneshige. It is his latest work, removed from the kiln at the end of September 2017, and is an excellent piece that demonstrates the consistent quality expected of Kouriki while offering a rich variety of expression. The elegant quality of the clay, inherited from Sozan Kaneshige, may seem understated at first glance, but it is of exceptionally high quality, clearly demonstrating what sets superior clay apart from the rest. The flavor of the 'goma' (sesame glaze) is truly sophisticated, featuring vivid yellow sesame layered over a base of black 'yohen' (kiln transmutation) caused by iron and other minerals. This is an authentic beer mug-sized piece, which is rarely seen in Bizen ware; the rim is thinly crafted for a clean pour, reflecting the meticulous attention to detail characteristic of Kouriki. Paper box
Diameter 12.6cm (including handle) x Diameter 9.0cm x Height 12.6cm Yoshiteru Kouriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Influenced by his father, who was a lover of pottery, he aspired to a career in ceramic art and, after graduating from high school, began studying pottery techniques in 1989 under the master Sozan Kaneshige and his son Yuho. After seven years of training, he built his own climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 to strike out on his own, and successfully held 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, his work was selected for the "Kita no Kashiki" (Northern Confectionery Vessels) exhibition, and in 2002, he was selected for the "Chanoyu no Zokei" (Forms of Tea Ceremony) exhibition for the first time.