Ao Imbe Chawan

This is an Ao-Imbe Chawan by Mitsuhiro Kaneshige, who was born into the Kaneshige Ritouen, one of the six traditional Bizen kiln families, yet pursues his own path in pottery without being bound by the family name.

This is a unique work that aims for an Ao-Bizen style firing through intense reduction flames, while also seeking a black expression through Ibe-te.

Through the blue-toned firing created by the reduction flames and the effect of Ibe-te, the colors of Bizen appear almost as if they have been reversed like a photographic negative. Over the black surface, reminiscent of carefully prepared sumi ink, slightly blue-gray white Goma flows across the piece.

The thick, substantial Goma, possible only through multiple firings, is truly impressive. The bead-like drips that stop around the lower body will likely take on a gentle warmth when the vessel is in use, creating an indescribably pleasant feeling in the hand.

The influence of the powerful firing is also clearly visible inside the piece. The many overlapping layers of Goma create a scene that looks almost as if molten metal had been poured into the fired vessel.

The foot, with its distinctive design that seems to make the clay rise in soft, rounded forms, is finished in a manner that reflects Mitsuhiro Kaneshige’s deep admiration for old Bizen.

Mitsuhiro Kaneshige was born in 1988 in Imbe, Bizen City, into the Kaneshige Ritouen, one of the six kiln families of Bizen.

He entered the Bizen Ceramic Art Center in 2017 and held his first kiln firing in 2020.

In 2023, he received the Shubi Prize at the Chanoyu no Zokeiten, and in 2024, he held his first solo exhibition.