Tubo

This is a previous work by Togaku Mori, the artist who achieved the monumental feat in ceramic history of completing a firing in an 85-meter-long climbing kiln. Believed to be from his Aioi kiln period, this piece was created as the first step toward his distant dream of recreating ancient Bizen-ware through large-scale kiln firings. Its small, almost cute form and calm, slightly orange-toned clay body evoke the appearance of a Shigaraki *uzukumaru* (crouching) jar. The charming aesthetic of its hand-coiled construction, rather than wheel-thrown, gives it a wonderful presence, which, combined with the unpretentious, weathered quality of the clay, creates a primitive worldview. On one side of the piece, well-melted *goma* (ash glaze) adheres as if it has seeped into the skin, harmonizing with the orange-colored surface without being overly assertive, perfectly complementing the primitive form. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Diameter 15.3cm x 15.2cm x Height 16.5cm Togaku Mori was born as the eldest son of Hideji Mori, whose lineage traces back to the six master families of Bizen potters. He graduated from the Special Art Course at Okayama University in 1959. In 1962, he returned to his family home to pursue the path of ceramics. The following year, he was selected for the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition, and in 1966, he became a full member of the Japan Kōgei Association. Fascinated by ancient Bizen ware, he began researching large kilns around 1972. In 1977, he built a 46-meter-long kiln in Aioi, Hyogo Prefecture, and conducted a firing in 1980. Utilizing that data, he built the 53-meter-long Samukaze large kiln in Ushimado, Okayama Prefecture in 1983, successfully completing the first firing in 1986. Since then, he has conducted firings every four to five years. In 1996, he was designated as an Okayama Prefectural Important Intangible Cultural Property holder. In 1997, he exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition. In 2002, he became the first Bizen ware artist to receive the Japan Ceramic Society Award. In 2008, his new Samukaze large kiln (85m long, 6m wide, 3m high) was completed, and he successfully removed the pottery from the kiln in 2015.
Awards: Japan Ceramic Society Award and Gold Prize, Sanyo Shimbun Award, Okayama Nichinichi Shimbun Art and Culture Merit Award, and many others / Prefectural Exhibition Juror