Inbe Chawan

This is a newly kiln-fired black tea bowl by Yoshinobu Morimoto, an artist with an exceptional aesthetic sense who continues to evolve in his handling of clay, firing, and form. In this ambitious piece, a playful Koetsu-style form is layered with natural glaze to its absolute limit, resulting in a natural black that is not achieved through applied slip. Having mastered the Bizen-style technique he calls "covering"—where the piece is enveloped in features like *goma* (ash glaze) and *sangiri* (reduction firing effects)—Morimoto has coated the entire bowl, including the foot, in natural glaze. The result is a fascinating interplay between the charms of glaze applied by the hot kiln winds rather than human hands, and a matte texture that feels as if the entire piece has been coated. The yellowish-brown natural *goma* glaze typical of Bizen mingles with the black natural glaze reminiscent of *Ibe-te*, creating a three-dimensional and complex landscape that no applied slip could replicate. The shape of the bowl leaves the viewer wondering whether the deformation was caused by the intensity of the fire or the artist’s hand, a mysterious quality rooted in Morimoto’s research into ancient ceramics that captivates all who see it. Signed wooden box
Diameter 14.7cm x 11.9cm x Height 10.0cm Yoshinobu Morimoto was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1976. He completed his studies at the Bizen Pottery Center in 1996. After working independently, he held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2004. Since then, he has held annual solo exhibitions throughout Japan, centered in Tokyo. He was selected for the "Chanoyu Modeling Exhibition" at the Tanabe Museum of Art in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2008, he exhibited at the "Contemporary Sake Ware Exhibition" at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi in Tokyo, and in 2009, he exhibited at the "Contemporary Tea Bowl Exhibition" at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi. He has held solo exhibitions in various locations, including a feature exhibition at Tenmaya in Okayama in 2010.