Bizen Guinomi

This is an exquisite new Bizen sake cup by So Kaneshige, who inherited the Enzan Kiln as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige and captivates many with his harmony of delicate, elegant clay texture and powerful form. This is one of his latest works from a 2019 kiln firing, which was exhibited at his solo exhibition "Mae-e" (Forward) at Okayama Tenmaya. It features the heavy, intense kiln-altered coloration characteristic of Kaneshige-sensei, who fires his pieces thoroughly when aiming for such effects, almost as if the clay itself is being burned through. The ash-covered kiln effect is truly reminiscent of volcanic lava, piling up with an intensity that seems to engulf the piece, and its violently raised texture provides an exceptional presence in the palm of one's hand. The clay retains a faint crimson hue from being fired to completion, and at the boundary between the kiln-altered areas and the areas where the glaze has "dropped off"—known as *kumadori*—the piece displays a glittering gold sheen worthy of a solo exhibition work. The base is also particularly interesting; in contrast to his signature wide, powerful base, the ash-covered kiln effect and the clay body compete in a way that suggests the moon being obscured. Signed wooden box (shiho-san) included
Diameter 6.5cm × 6.4cm × Height 6.5cm So Kaneshige was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1945 as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige. After graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyoto University in 1969, he entered the path of pottery under his father, Sozan. He later became independent in 1979. He primarily focuses on tea ceramics created on the potter's wheel, characterized by a deep, rich firing. He is committed to stripping away ornamentation as much as possible, focusing on directly imbuing the clay with his own soul. He rarely submits work to public exhibitions, preferring to present his work primarily through solo exhibitions, which he holds energetically every year at department stores and other venues in Okayama, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto. In 1995, he held a solo exhibition in Munich, Germany, and in 1997, he exhibited at the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition. He was awarded the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award in 2019.