Bizen Guinomi

This Bizen sake cup is by Takashi Soga, an artist who challenges the aesthetic of antiquity by recreating the environment in which ancient Bizen ware was fired. To replicate the style of the Old Bizen period, he avoids the use of firebricks and other modern materials, resulting in a kiln that defies modern logic regarding thermal efficiency; consequently, the work exhibits a supreme quality of clay texture that transcends contemporary aesthetics and rivals that of Old Bizen. The kiln itself is constructed entirely of clay, effectively firing pottery within a vessel of fired clay, which reportedly leads to subtle variations in the clay’s character with every firing. In this piece, the *kinsai hidaski* (gold-hued fire cord) is even more vivid than in previous iterations, featuring platinum-like markings draped across a metallic-toned surface—a sophisticated finish that radiates the unique brilliance characteristic of Soga’s work. While *kinsai hidaski* pieces of this nature can often have a sharp texture, this work is remarkably soft and delicate to the touch, a testament to Soga’s exceptional craftsmanship. Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 6.3cm × 6.3cm × Height 5.4cm Takashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984. He studied under Jun Isezaki in 2009 and built his own kiln in Kuku-i, Bizen City, in 2012. He became independent and began his pottery career in 2013.