Bizen Guinomi

This is a newly fired Bizen sake cup by Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, an artist who continues to lead the world of Bizen pottery with an inexhaustible creative spirit. While natural glaze covers about 70% of the piece, the scenery changes dramatically from one area to another rather than having a uniform tone, allowing you to enjoy a rich variety of textures that never tire the eye. On the front, there is a pale, bluish-white "kase-goma" (matte ash glaze) that has been baked on like a light frost, highlighting the impressed patterns on the body to create a wonderful aesthetic. On the reverse side and across the interior, the piece was exposed to intense flames, resulting in a bold display of ash glaze that looks like flowing gold dust. The brilliant, sparkling ash, even after cooling, is a hallmark of Isezaki-sensei’s dedication to using Japanese red pine for firing. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Diameter 7.0cm x 6.3cm x Height 7.2cm Jun Isezaki was born as the second son of Yozan Isezaki, a master of ceramic sculpture. He learned pottery from a young age and began his career in 1959 after graduating from the Special Art Course at Okayama University. His work covers a wide range, from traditional flower vases, plates, and tea ceremony wares to ceramic murals and sculptural objects. In his creative process, he places great importance on both shaping and firing, utilizing the unique characteristics of his materials and kilns (anagama, climbing kilns, and electric kilns) to produce a style brimming with contemporary sensibility. He is also a leading figure in relief art and has presented numerous works in this medium. He became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association in 1966 and served as a special lecturer in fine arts at Okayama University for nine years starting in 1978. In 1998, he and his brother Mitsuru were both designated as holders of Okayama Prefecture Important Intangible Cultural Properties, and in the same year, he began serving as the Secretary General of the Chugoku Branch of the Japan Kōgei Association. In July 2004, he was designated a Living National Treasure (Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property).
Awards: Numerous honors including the Kaneshige Toyo Award, the Okayama Prefectural Cultural Incentive Award, the Sanyo Shimbun Award, and the Excellence Award at the Chanoyu Modeling Exhibition; served as a judge for the prefectural exhibition.