Shigaraki crouching water jar

This Shigaraki *uzukumari* (crouching jar) is the work of Mashiro Aiga, an artist who creates works that are uncompromisingly direct and possess great integrity. This piece is part of his Shigaraki series, which he produces in parallel with his Bizen works. His wild style, centered on a meticulousness that might be called "refined ruggedness," matches the nature of Shigaraki ware perfectly. The body, built up slowly using the coil method, is somewhat clumsy and unsophisticated, yet it possesses a powerful energy that captivates the viewer, drawing the eye to endlessly trace the flow of the clay when viewed up close. The soft orange hue of the clay, combined with the bright, matte-textured *goma* (ash glaze), offers a soothing expression that is distinct from his Bizen work. Signed wooden box (shiho-san style)
Diameter 18.4cm × Diameter 18.3cm × Height 19.6cm Mashiro Aiga graduated from the Okayama Prefectural Bizen Pottery Center in 1997. In 2003, he built a fully underground *anagama* kiln in Samukaze. The following year, in 2004, he built a second, semi-underground *anagama* kiln and continues to devote himself to his craft.