{"product_id":"p6471","title":"Bizen sake cup","description":"This is a new Bizen sake cup, fresh from the kiln, by Takashi Soga, an artist who challenges the beauty of antiquity by recreating the same conditions under which ancient Bizen ware was fired.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThis is his latest work, removed from the kiln in December 2021.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nTo reproduce the firing methods of the ancient Bizen era, this piece was fired in a kiln made entirely of earth—avoiding the modern, fire-resistant bricks that did not exist at the time—where standard modern firing techniques do not apply.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nBecause the earth kiln itself acts as one massive piece of pottery, the resulting work transcends modern aesthetics, displaying a superb quality of clay that approaches that of ancient Bizen.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn Soga-sensei’s kiln, the earth structure itself transforms with every firing, a characteristic that causes the finish of his works to change incessantly. In this particular piece, the golden-hued 'hidasuki' (fire-cord) patterning typical of his work shifts abruptly, while an ash-covered glaze—resembling carbonized wood—drapes across the vessel like a monk's stole.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAt first glance, the ash-covered section appears scorched and sooty, but upon closer inspection, it reveals a moist, lustrous quality reminiscent of a wet stone—a unique, peerless finish characteristic of Soga-sensei.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn the areas apart from the ash covering, the clay and fire-cord markings are overlaid with a metallic, golden sheen. The sooty yet moist, matte luster of the kiln-transformed perimeter contrasts beautifully with the glossy texture of the golden-hued areas, creating a distinctive allure.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThis kiln-transformed finish, so organic it seems as if it had been left on a riverbed for centuries, masterfully reproduces the ultimate \"withered\" aesthetic sought by the potters of ancient Bizen.\n\nSigned wooden box (shiho-san)\u003cbr\u003e\nDiameter 7.0cm x 6.8cm x Height 5.1cm\n\nTakashi Soga was born in Tokyo in 1984.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe apprenticed under Jun Isezaki in 2009, and in 2012, he built an all-earth kiln that uses no fire-resistant bricks in Kugui, Bizen City.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe became independent and began his career as a ceramic artist in 2013.","brand":"曽我 尭","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618053443681,"sku":"6471","price":16500.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/6471.jpg?v=1790231553","url":"https:\/\/tourakuen.myshopify.com\/en\/products\/p6471","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}