Kneaded sake cup by Ogawa Bunsai

Width: 7.0cm x 7.0cm Height: 4.5cm

Drinking in the memories of earth and fire - Nerikomi sake cup by the 6th Ogawa Bunsai (Kyo)

This "Kneaded sake cup" by the 6th Ogawa Bunsai (Oki) is a small piece filled with a fundamental power, as if the clay itself is speaking to you. The landscape of the clay captured in a vessel about the size of a handful goes beyond a simple form and stimulates the senses of the person who picks it up.

The brown patterns that appear to seep out from under the glaze are the result of the fusion of different kneaded clays during firing, creating patterns that seem to straddle the boundary between chance and inevitability. The appearance of the patterns is reminiscent of the earth of the past, or layers of volcanic ash, and makes us feel the beauty of the "earthly memory" that pottery possesses.

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The technique of kneading, layering time and texture

"Nerikomi" is a pottery technique that creates patterns by intentionally mixing clays of different colors and qualities. Rather than being painted with a brush or glaze, the patterns emerge from the layers of the clay itself, so the surface scenery is both material and temporal, to the point that it can be described as a "cut-out stratum."

In this piece, the complex patterns made by kneading the clay are infused into the surface of the vessel in shades of ochre and brown, and the flow of the glaze and changes in the kiln give it a unique look. The traces of handiwork become part of the design, and the piece exudes the charm of "born beauty" rather than "manufactured beauty."

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A medley of materials in the palm of your hand

The fact that such rich textures and color variations have been packed into the limited form of a sake cup is itself a testament to the artist's skill and aesthetic sense. The rim is slightly warped, exuding the warmth and freedom that can only be found in a handmade item. The inside of the vessel is coated with a deep blue glaze, and when sake is poured into it, the blue reflected on the surface of the liquid and the color of the earth on the outside shimmer like a water mirror reflecting a landscape.

Although it is a small vessel that fits in the palm of your hand, when you hold it you sense a certain "weight" and "heat," which is none other than the memory of the earth and fire being felt on your skin.

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The "use" and "storytelling" of sake cups

This Nerikomi Sake Cup is not simply a work of art to be admired, but a vessel that is completed through actual use. When you pour cold or hot sake into it and the warmth of your hand is transferred to the vessel, the surface of the clay changes little by little, and expressions that can only be seen by the viewer emerge.

This vessel truly embodies Ogawa Bunsai's values ​​of "craft as a dialogue" and "beauty that can be felt through the touch." In the act of drinking from it, the material, time, the maker's thoughts, and the user's sensibilities all blend together.

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Beyond the "Green" of Bunsai VI

It is truly symbolic that the 6th Ogawa Bunsai, who has produced numerous works with the emerald green glaze as the "green man," has chosen to return to the technique of nerikomi, which speaks of the "earth" itself, in this work. It is an attempt to rediscover not only the beauty of the color, but also the power of the material itself, and can be seen as a return to the traditional techniques that have been passed down and to the origins that have arisen within himself.

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Poetry of the Earth, the Universe in the Palm of Your Hand

A Nerikomi Sake Cup is truly a small universe. The patterns created by the clay continue to grow over time even after they have left the artist's hands, revealing a new landscape every time you use it.

If you hold this vessel in your hands while sharing a drink, a "story" will be born that goes beyond mere taste. The story told by the clay is sealed in by the fire and illuminated by the glaze -- please feel this poetic vessel in your palm.

It will be a quiet but sure drink that will fill your memory and your heart.