Bizen Choku

This is a brand-new Bizen sake cup, fresh from the kiln, by Yoshinobu Morimoto—an artist with a superb aesthetic sense who continues to evolve in his mastery of clay, firing, and form. This piece features what Morimoto himself describes as "kaburimono" (layering/coating), where *goma* (ash glaze) and *sangiri* (reduction firing) overlap in multiple layers to form a profound, kiln-transformed "garment." However, the true essence of this work lies not in that coating, but in the exquisite "nuke" (clearance/exposed areas) created during the firing process; the magnificent shadows emerging within the tightly fired, hardened surface are breathtaking. Rather than the soft-fired *nuke* often seen in contemporary Bizen, he has pursued the tightly fired *nuke* that existed on authentic antique Bizen surfaces. By adding this *kaburimono* and *nuke* to a rich, chocolate-like clay base, he has achieved a three-dimensional and dense texture. Combining the aesthetic sense and sculpting techniques cultivated through the creation of tea ceramics, such as tea bowls, with the profound knowledge gained from his study of tea ceremony and antique ceramics, he has produced a sake cup that radiates an extraordinary allure and power. This cup is of a perfect size, making it suitable for a variety of uses, including as a tea cup, a small serving bowl, or a shochu cup. No box
Diameter 8.9cm x 8.8cm x Height 7.2cm Yoshinobu Morimoto was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1976. He completed his studies at the Bizen Pottery Center in 1996. After working independently, he held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2004. Since then, he has held annual solo exhibitions throughout Japan, primarily in Tokyo. He was selected for the Tanabe Museum of Art’s "Tea Ceremony Sculpture Exhibition" in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2008, he exhibited at the "Contemporary Sake Cup Exhibition" at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo. In 2009, he exhibited at the "Contemporary Tea Bowl Exhibition" at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi, Tokyo. In 2010, he held a solo exhibition titled "Yoshinobu Morimoto Feature" at Tenmaya in Okayama, among many other exhibitions held in various regions.