Bizen Syuhai

These newly kiln-fired Bizen sake cups are the work of Shusaku Taku, an artist who shapes his creations by using the daily emotions of life as his yeast, standing alongside the unbroken continuity of human activity that has allowed Bizen ware to mature over time. True to Taku’s style of carefully crafting each piece to resonate with the heart of its owner, these sake cups are exceptionally well-detailed. The body, hand-built using the coil technique at which Taku excels, possesses a profound depth, resulting in a powerful yet sensuous form that would be impossible to replicate on a potter’s wheel. The piece showcases a rich, clay-focused texture centered around a heavy, dry "kase-goma" (crusty sesame) glaze; the deep, wine-reduction-like hues are a hallmark of Taku’s meticulous approach to clay preparation. The generous application of yellow "goma" (sesame ash glaze) reacts delicately to the movement of the clay from the coil construction, settling into the contours in a way that evokes the "tobi-goma" (splashed sesame) unique to antique Bizen ware. Signed paulownia box (shiho-zan style)
Diameter 7.3cm × Diameter 6.6cm × Height 5.5cm Shusaku Taku was born in 1980 as the eldest son of Mamoru Taku. In 2001, he graduated from the Saga Prefectural Arita College of Ceramics and began his apprenticeship under his father. In 2002, he received the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education Superintendent's Award at the Japan Traditional Kogei Chugoku Branch Exhibition. In 2004, he won the Excellence Award at the Tanabe Museum of Art's Tea Ceremony Sculpture Exhibition. In addition, his work has been selected for the Okayama Prefectural Art Exhibition and the Japan Traditional Kogei Chugoku Branch Exhibition.