Bizen Yohen Ohai

This is a newly fired Bizen yohen large sake cup by Yoshiteru Koriki, a popular young artist and former apprentice to the late master Sozan Kaneshige. This latest piece, fired in early summer 2019, is a powerful vessel inspired by the massive sake cups favored by ancient warlords. It is a robustly fired piece designed for "chugging" sake, featuring a base of fiery scarlet that promises to look excellent with sake, complemented by a rich and complex landscape. Despite its bold 13cm width, the piece avoids being overly assertive; the wabi-sabi aesthetic created by the *kase-goma* (matte ash glaze) and kiln-altered effects perfectly balances its presence. The thick, rich scarlet patches in the interior not only enhance the look of the sake but also create a fleeting yet beautiful scene—as if the clay itself is burning with life—amidst the harder, fired texture of the surrounding surface, making it truly mesmerizing. It would be a perfect match for cloudy sake (*nigori-zake*). Signed wooden box to follow (please allow some time for delivery)
Diameter 13.0cm x 12.8cm x Height 5.5cm Yoshiteru Koriki was born in Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture. Influenced by his father, who loved pottery, he pursued a career in ceramics. After graduating from high school, he studied under the master Sozan Kaneshige and his son Yuho Kaneshige starting in 1989. After seven years of training, he established his own climbing kiln in Shizutani, Bizen City, in 1996 and successfully held his first firing the following year. He held his first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 2000 and has held annual solo exhibitions ever since. In 1999, his work was selected for the "Exhibition of Confectionery Vessels I'd Like to Use," and in 2002, he was selected for the "Tea Ceremony Modeling Exhibition" for the first time.