Bizen Guinomi

This is an earlier Bizen sake cup (guinomi) by So Kaneshige, who inherited the Maruyama Kiln as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige and captivates many with his harmony of delicate, elegant clay texture and powerful form. It features a "kase-goma" (dry sesame glaze) finish, often referred to as "enoki-hada" or "melon-hada," and the craftsmanship here is so masterful that one is instantly convinced of the appropriateness of those names; the soft green hues combined with intense, wrinkled scenery are truly breathtaking. Known as a heavy drinker, So often favored carrying sake cups with this same dry sesame glaze in his pocket, perfectly embodying the charm, enjoyment, and depth of character that only a true aficionado of sake would understand. The vivid scarlet, reminiscent of the flesh of a Yubari melon, is perfectly described as "saekaeru" (clear and vibrant), its brilliance such that it seems to glow even when dry. With its dignified construction and bold foot carving, "So-ism" permeates every detail; as you hold and admire it, the cup itself seems to beg for sake to be poured into it. (Judging by the condition of the box, this is an earlier work, but there is no sense of staining or wear whatsoever.) Signed wooden box (shiho-san)
Diameter 7.0cm x 6.8cm x Height 6.4cm So Kaneshige was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1945 as the eldest son of Sozan Kaneshige. In 1969, after graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture at Kyoto University, he began his path in ceramics under his father. He became independent in 1979. He primarily creates tea ceramics using a potter's wheel, characterized by deep firing. He is committed to stripping away ornamentation as much as possible and projecting his own soul directly into the clay. He rarely submits work to open exhibitions, focusing instead on solo exhibitions, which he holds energetically every year at department stores in Okayama, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto. In 1995, he held a solo exhibition in Munich, Germany, and in 1997, he participated in the Bizen Ware Paris Exhibition. He received the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award in 2019.