Bizen Youhen Teabowl

This is a newly fired Bizen yohen (kiln-transmutation) tea bowl by the popular young artist Yoshiteru Koriki, a former apprentice to the master Sozan Kaneshige. This latest work, fired in early summer 2019, is a masterpiece that exemplifies Koriki’s signature style of pursuing kiln effects while deeply respecting the clay, resulting in a composition where molten iron-like ash coating and a soft scarlet hue coexist. The ash-covered yohen effect is born from balancing the two conflicting elements of clay and firing, and in this challenging firing, the work has been finished at an exquisite timing that favors neither the clay nor the heat too strongly. On the front, natural glazes have accumulated to create a scene as if scorched by direct flames, where concentrated layers of thick ash have hardened in a bubbling, magma-like kiln effect. Conversely, the areas away from the front feature a milder appearance, reminiscent of lower-temperature firing, where one can enjoy soft, matte 'kase' sesame glaze resembling tree bark and a vivid scarlet hue like ripe fruit. It is a fascinating tea bowl that skillfully toggles between the landscapes brought forth by these two conflicting factors of high and low temperatures, with both color palettes pairing perfectly with the fresh green of matcha. With its moderate weight, it is a comfortable size for women or those seeking a slightly smaller tea bowl. Original signed wooden box to follow (please allow some time for shipping)
Diameter 11.7cm × 11.7cm × Height 7.5cm Yoshiteru Koriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Influenced by his father, who loved pottery, he set his heart on the path of ceramics. After graduating from high school in 1989, he studied ceramic techniques under the master Sozan Kaneshige and his son Yuho. Following a seven-year apprenticeship, he built a climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, to strike out on his own in 1996, successfully completing his first firing the following year. He held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2000 and has held solo exhibitions every year since. In 1999, his work was selected for the "Exhibition of Confectionery Vessels from the North" (Tsukatte Mitai Kita no Kashiki-ten), and in 2002, he was selected for the "Exhibition of Chadogu Modeling" (Cha no Yu no Zokei-ten) for the first time.