{"product_id":"p7634","title":"Bizen ware tiger-shaped sake bottle","description":"This new Bizen tiger *awa-bin* (foam bottle) is the work of Hikaru Shimamura, an artist who inherits the long-standing tradition of Bizen *saikumono* (ceramic ornaments) with his own unique sensibility and creativity.\u003cbr\u003e\nReflecting Shimamura-sensei’s signature style of depicting everyday subjects with a witty and stylized flair, this zodiac tiger bottle looks as if it has leapt right out of an abstract painting.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAs one might expect from an artist dedicated to rekindling the near-extinct craft of Bizen *saikumono*, the work displays an exceptionally grounded and masterful finish; the lid on its back, in particular, fits the body perfectly without the slightest movement.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nDespite a very simple overall design, it is a testament to his skill that one can tell it is a tiger at a single glance, from the stylized stripes on the lid to the design of the tail attached to the body.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nFocusing first and foremost on the sculptural form, the piece was fired by intentionally avoiding natural ash glazes, with the skillful use of reduction and oxidation producing a two-tone red and black color scheme that perfectly suits the image of a tiger.\n\nSigned wooden box (shiho-san style)\u003cbr\u003e\nDiameter 13.2cm x 6.8cm x Height 7.1cm\n\nHikaru Shimamura was born in Osafune-cho, Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture, in 1942.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe graduated from the Painting Department of Naniwa College (now Osaka University of Arts Junior College) in 1962.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nCaptivated by Bizen ceramic ornaments, he entered the world of pottery in 1975.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe built an *anagama* kiln in Osafune-cho and became an independent potter in 1978, later constructing a *noborigama* climbing kiln in his current location of Kukuin in 1992.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe was recognized as a Bizen City Designated Intangible Cultural Property holder for Bizen ware production techniques in 2013, and as an Okayama Prefecture Designated Important Intangible Cultural Property holder in 2019.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn 2024, he received the Okayama Prefecture Cultural Award.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHe has held solo exhibitions in cities including Tokyo, Okayama, and New York.","brand":"島村 光","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46618202243169,"sku":"7634","price":242000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0654\/9916\/8865\/files\/7634.jpg?v=1790233017","url":"https:\/\/www.tourakuen.jp\/en\/products\/p7634","provider":"川口陶楽苑","version":"1.0","type":"link"}