Hikidashiguro Mentori Chawan

This is a brand-new *hikidashiguro* (pulled-black) faceted tea bowl, fresh from the kiln by Koichiro Isezaki, who, as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki, is breathing new life into the Bizen pottery world with his exceptional sense and masterful shaping skills. The *hikidashi* technique, in which the piece is pulled from the kiln during firing, has created kiln transformations and an overall landscape that shimmer like gemstones, while the black areas created by applied clay take on a clear, obsidian-like hue, resulting in a breathtakingly mystical appearance. This work is the latest iteration of the faceted tea bowls Koichiro has created, further evolving the form of his near-square *shiho* (four-sided) tea bowls into a bold, diamond-like silhouette. It appears as though it were carved away in a single stroke with a large hatchet, and the edges of the clay intentionally left behind during the shaving process speak to the sharpness, speed, and precision of the carving. The steep, slanted facets interact fascinatingly with the *hikidashiguro* finish; as the *goma* (ash glaze) slid down the slopes before cooling and hardening, it captured the flow of natural glaze in a way impossible to achieve with applied glazes, resulting in a magnificent landscape. (Please note that the bowl may be slightly unstable due to the shape of the base and the accumulation of natural glaze.) Signed wooden box to follow (please allow some time for shipping).
Diameter 16.5cm x 15.9cm x Height 9.3cm Koichiro Isezaki was born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, as the eldest son of Living National Treasure Jun Isezaki. The Isezaki family has produced many ceramic artists, led by his grandfather Yozan Isezaki, Mitsuru Isezaki, and Jun Isezaki. After graduating from the Department of Sculpture at Tokyo Zokei University in 1994, Koichiro Isezaki studied abroad in the United States. He studied ceramics for approximately two years under his father’s apprentice, Jeff Shapiro, a ceramic artist living in New York City, which greatly broadened his perspective on art and ceramics. He returned to Japan in 2000 and established himself as an independent ceramic artist under his father.