Bizen Hidasuki Bajyohai

This is a newly kiln-fired Bizen hidasuki (fire-cord) horse-riding cup by the popular young artist Yoshiteru Kouriki, an inner disciple of the late master Sozan Kaneshige. This latest work from the early summer 2018 kiln firing features a beautifully elegant hidasuki pattern reminiscent of the masterpieces of his teacher, Sozan Kaneshige. It was fired in a custom electric kiln capable of wood firing, using the same amount of time as an anagama climbing kiln, resulting in a moist texture and a rich, deep-penetrating hidasuki coloration that clearly reflects the techniques passed down from his mentor. The application of the hidasuki is exquisite; it avoids the pitfalls of being either too contrived or too lackluster, instead expressing the beauty of the pattern itself through lines and planes while successfully eliminating any sense of artificiality. The flowing wheel-thrown top and the powerful, dense-clay base create a remarkable balance despite their initial appearance of asymmetry, demonstrating that he has truly inherited his master’s teachings in form as well. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 6.8cm x 6.8cm x Height 6.5cm Yoshiteru Kouriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Inspired by his father’s love of ceramics, he pursued a path in pottery. After graduating from high school, he began his apprenticeship under Sozan Kaneshige and his son Yuho Kaneshige in 1989 to learn the art. Following seven years of training, he built his own climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 and held his first successful firing the following year. He held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2000 and has continued to hold them annually since. In 1999, his work was selected for the "Pottery for Tea Sweets" exhibition, and in 2002, he was selected for the "Tea Ceremony Ceramics" exhibition for the first time.