Kinuta Flower Vase by Rakusai Onishi

Width: 11.5cm Height: 21.1cm

Introduction

The "Kinuta Vase" created by Onishi Rakusai is a work that perfectly harmonizes tradition and innovation. While stability is required for the material of pottery and its use as a flower vase, this vase deliberately takes on a design that is unstable, and exudes a unique charm reminiscent of Giacometti's slender sculptures.

A fusion of instability and stability

A typical kinuta-shaped vase is characterized by its solid stability, but this piece has a long, slender neck, giving it a shape that exudes a slight sense of instability. However, this shape is by no means an attempt to pursue instability alone; the ceramic material also maintains balance, creating a wonderful harmony between these opposing elements. This vase is the culmination of ingenuity and skilled craftsmanship in order to come close to the ideal shape that was sought.

Expressing the loneliness and wabi of the "kinuta"

As its name suggests, the "Kinuta Vase" beautifully expresses the feelings of loneliness and wabi (traditional Japanese wabi) that are associated with the tool known as a "kinuta." While the celadon masterpieces "Mansei" and "Sensei" are dignified figures, this vase has an unadorned appearance, with a white cosmetic layer placed over the clay base, with traces of burnt ash and fire remaining on top. Its rugged yet delicate appearance seems to embody the feelings that are embodied in the Japanese "kinuta," making it a piece that exudes a certain loneliness.

With the change of seasons

This Kinuta Vase is especially fitting for the beginning of autumn. Its lonely appearance brings out the loneliness that deepens with the change of seasons, and putting flowers in it creates a contrast that highlights the beauty of the delicate flowers. This vase, which recalls the loneliness depicted in the Noh play Kinuta, is not just a place to display flowers, but will also help you feel the deep emotions of Japanese culture that lie behind it. 26