Guinomi “Fusion”

This is a newly kiln-fired sake cup, "Fusion," by Toru Ichikawa, who made a striking debut after studying under Ryuichi Kakizaki. It is a highly original and exceptional piece, characteristic of Ichikawa-sensei, whose boundless ideas take shape through the supreme medium of clay. The title "Fusion" reflects his challenge to achieve a new form of expression that goes beyond the mere combination of ceramic and metal. Featuring a Shino-style feldspar glaze layered with platinum and gold leaf, the piece evokes the atmosphere of distinct materials joined together while retaining their individual essence, true to its title. The pale orange hue of the feldspar glaze is reminiscent of skin, and when combined with the platinum and gold leaf sections, it creates a mysterious aesthetic, as if organic and inorganic matter have fused. While it maintains the faceted "shinogi" style seen in his previous works, this piece features a new, lower profile, similar to a traditional sake cup. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 9.0cm × 8.8cm × Height 4.8cm Toru Ichikawa was born in Tokyo. He began studying under Ryuichi Kakizaki in June 2011 and became an independent artist in Tamano City, Okayama Prefecture, in January 2015.