One blue porcelain wheel Masao Tagai

Width: 8.6cm x 8.6cm Height: 11cm

This single-flower vase, clad in a pale blue glaze ("Rain-Ever Blue") reminiscent of a clear sky after a rain shower, captures the beauty of nature's carvings. By deliberately stopping the wheel-throwing process and then twisting it by hand to create distortions and indentations, the vase creates rock-like undulations and organic shadows. The rim has an irregular, wavy shape, and the areas where the glaze remains thinly coated develop a silvery gray color, highlighting the vase's refined outline. Beneath the mirror-like glaze, a slightly opaque layer shines through, adding depth, and iron spots bleed into the accumulated glaze, subtly evoking the appearance of antique celadon.

glaze

The iron powder is adjusted, and the piece is fired at a high temperature using a "reduction omission" process, which switches the temperature towards oxidation towards the end. This allows for a clear blue without any reddish tinge, and a milky layer that adds depth.

Ice crack penetration and iron spot

The slight difference in the expansion coefficient between the clay and the glaze creates tiny crazing that can only be seen in different light, and with repeated use, the flower water seeps in and develops into a hazy landscape. The glaze collects in the recesses of the body, and the iron is reduced, revealing black spots that add an accent to the landscape.

Mirror finish

After firing, a low-temperature reduction fire is applied to lightly re-melt the surface of the glaze, resulting in a moist luster and soft reflection.

Beauty and History

Masao Tagai combines the profound elegance of Gyokukan celadon from the Song dynasty Longquan kilns with the "wabi" aesthetic that cultivates scenery, a concept valued in Japanese tea ceremony ceramics, in his pursuit of minimalist works that harmonize with modern spaces. This work deliberately breaks down the refined style of Tang Dynasty celadon and captures the randomness of natural stone and water droplets, expressing a "sense of life hidden in silence."

*By placing it on a stand or black painted board and adjusting the height, you can emphasize the shadows and make the uneven scenery stand out even more.

Viewing points

Flickering light reflected on the uneven surface <br data-start="1408" data-end="1411">When slanting light shines on the glaze surface, it reflects like the surface of water, and the shades of blue change from moment to moment.

The wabi-sabi feel of the iron rim and iron dots <br data-start="1467" data-end="1470">The black dots on the rim and body tighten the blue, creating a sophisticated look reminiscent of antique celadon.

Growing Scenery <br data-start="1522" data-end="1525">As the flowers are watered and time passes, the crazing becomes hazy, and the vessel changes along with its owner.

This piece, "Seipin Ichirin," is a vessel that embodies a "living landscape," where the serenity of the clear blue, the dynamic movement of the hand-twisted work, and the wabi aesthetic of the iron rim and iron dots coexist. Simply placing a single flower in it will breathe fresh air into the space, and the process by which the surface of the vessel changes gradually over the years will be engraved with a story unique to the owner. We hope you will cherish this piece for many years to come, and enjoy the changing of the celadon along with the flowers of the four seasons.

A conversation with Masao Tagai – High-end pottery specialty store [Amagimichi]