Bizen Choku

This is a newly kiln-fired Bizen choko (sake cup) by Yoshinobu Morimoto, an artist with an exceptional aesthetic sense who continues to evolve in his mastery of clay, firing, and form. This piece features a Bizen-te style that Morimoto himself describes as "kaburimono" (layered glaze/ash effects), where layers of goma (ash glaze) and sangiri (reduction firing patterns) overlap to create a rich, profound kiln-altered "garment." However, the true essence of this work lies not in the layering itself, but in the exquisite "nuke" (clear spaces) created during the firing process, which reveal superb shadows across the hardened, well-fired surface. Moving beyond the soft-fired "nuke" often seen in contemporary Bizen, he has pursued the tightly fired "nuke" characteristic of antique Bizen, combining it with a rich, chocolate-like clay base and layered textures to achieve a dense, three-dimensional finish. Through his aesthetic sensibilities and sculpting techniques honed in the creation of tea ceramics, combined with his deep knowledge of tea ceremony and antique pottery, he has crafted a sake cup that exudes an extraordinary allure and presence. This cup is of a perfect size and can be used for various purposes, including as a yunomi (tea cup), a small bowl, or a shochu cup. No box
Diameter 9.0cm × 8.9cm × Height 7.1cm 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 primarily in Tokyo and throughout Japan. 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 Artist Sake Cup Exhibition" at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi in Tokyo, and in 2009, he participated in the "Contemporary Artist Tea Bowl Exhibition" at the same venue. In 2010, he held a solo exhibition titled "Yoshinobu Morimoto Special Feature" at Tenmaya in Okayama, among numerous other exhibitions across the country.