American-colored porcelain tea bowl by Yuichi Ikai

Width: 13.5cm Height: 8.1cm

The "Rice Colored Porcelain Tea Bowl" created by Yuichi Ikai is a uniquely beautiful matcha bowl that combines the traditions of Japanese pottery with modern aesthetics. Influenced by great potters such as Mineo Okabe, Yuichi Ikai has used his own sensibility and techniques to create his own unique worldview.

Exquisite thickness and simplicity create a sense of presence

The distinctive feature of this tea bowl is that it does not show off the techniques used, but rather takes advantage of the simple texture and thickness of the clay. The clay used is difficult to use on the potter's wheel, and the characteristics of the clay are preserved and the bowl is finished in a natural shape. The surface has beautiful crazing.

The depth of technology learned from celadon

Celadon was originally a high-class vessel that was presented to the Chinese emperor, and required strict precision that did not allow for even the slightest deviation. Mineo Okabe interpreted celadon in a Japanese style, and created unique celadon works using the techniques of a master potter's wheel. Yuichi Ikai was also influenced by the celadon of his predecessors, and initially tried to create celadon with a thick glaze.

The shift to ash glazes and the deepening of ceramic art

By applying a thin layer of ash glaze, the entire base is revealed. The texture of the clay and the maker's technique are all visible on the surface, so the depth of skill is called into question. Through this experience, Ikai further deepened his own pottery skills, and as a result, he began working again on celadon pieces that are thickly glazed but still light and elegant.

The uniqueness of the "Beishi-iro porcelain tea bowl"

The "Rice Porcelain Tea Bowl" is a work that can be said to be the culmination of Ikai's sincere attitude and technique towards pottery. This tea bowl is characterized by a thick layer of glaze, but it also combines the strength of the clay itself with the beauty of the form backed by skill. Although the distortion of the shape and the thickness of the glaze give it a sense of weight, the entire tea bowl exudes a lightness and elegance that is unique to Japan.

Breaking new ground

While influenced by Okabe Mineo, Ikai Yuichi has further developed his own pottery and carved out his own world. The rice-colored porcelain tea bowl is a masterpiece that exudes a sense of presence as the culmination of his work, and makes the viewer feel the depth of pottery and the essence of beauty anew. When you hold this tea bowl in your hands, the beauty of the earth and glaze will quietly seep into your heart.