Bizen Yunomi

This is a freshly kiln-fired Bizen tea cup, a new work by Yoshinobu Morimoto, an artist with a superior aesthetic sense who continues to evolve in his handling of clay, firing techniques, and craftsmanship. This Bizen-style piece, which Morimoto himself refers to as having a "kaburimono" (covering/layering) effect, features overlapping layers of "goma" (ash glaze) and "sangiri" (reduced firing effects), forming a profound and kiln-altered exterior. However, the true essence of this work lies not in that, but in the exquisite "nuke" (clear, unfired patches) that emerge during the firing process of that covering, creating magnificent shadows within the hard-fired surface. This is not the "amayaki" (soft-fired) nuke often seen in contemporary Bizen ware, but rather a pursuit of the hard-fired nuke that was truly present in ancient Bizen pottery. By adding these layers and nuke to a rich, chocolate-like clay body, he has completed a three-dimensional and dense texture. Combined with the aesthetic sense and modeling techniques cultivated through creating tea ceramics such as tea bowls, and his deep knowledge gained from the study of the tea ceremony and ancient ceramics, this tea cup radiates an extraordinary allure and presence. It is large and substantial, making it suitable for use as a beer mug as well. No box
Diameter 8.4cm x 8.3cm x Height 8.8cm Yoshinobu Morimoto was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1976. He completed the Bizen Pottery Center program 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, primarily in Tokyo. He was selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art’s "Tea Ceremony Modeling Exhibition" in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2008, he exhibited at the "Contemporary Sake Vessel Exhibition" at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo. In 2009, he exhibited at the "Contemporary Tea Bowl Exhibition" at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo. He has held solo exhibitions in various locations, including a "Yoshinobu Morimoto Feature" at Tenmaya in Okayama in 2010.