Straw white glaze tea bowl Nishidansei

Width: 14.2cm Depth: 12.4cm Height: 12.4cm

Straw white glaze tea bowl (warajiroyu chawan) by Nishibata Masashi - A dialogue between motion and stillness evoked by the gentle slope reminiscent of a snow wall and the ink spots

Straw white glaze captures the moment of snow melting

The straw-white glaze that covers this piece is as white as if the moment when the snow had frozen in time to melt gently. The soft milky white color of the straw ash envelops the entire piece, while the iron contained in the base stands out as black, weaving together ink spots like shadows scattered on the snow surface. Fine crazing is hidden in the glaze layer, and as tea seeps into it over the years of use, there is a sense that there is room for it to develop into an even deeper landscape.

A sculptural form created by gentle folds

The body is engraved with large, undulating vertical folds. By pushing the fingertips in and out while the clay is still plastic, creating a continuous soft slope, visual rhythm and a comfortable fit in the palm of the hand are simultaneously achieved. The shadows sliding along the folds are reminiscent of a quiet mountainside before an avalanche, giving the piece a dynamic sense of tension.

The temperature and texture of Tanba clay

The reddish rough clay from Tanba is used for the base, and by peeking out from the thin parts of the glaze and the bottom, it breathes a warm breath into the cold white glaze. The glaze pools and small air bubbles near the bottom are evidence of the "yaki-hen" process, which symbolizes the moment when the melted glaze solidifies again in the kiln, and they have a strong presence as traces of the intersection of the power of nature and the artist's intentions.

Functional beauty as tea ceremony utensils

The rim is slightly wavy, providing a soft touch when it touches the lips. The opening is wide and deep enough that it does not interfere with the movement of the tea whisk. The thick body has excellent heat retention, and even when making strong tea, the heat transmitted to the palm of the hand is gentle. The foot is cut at a modest height, so it fits in well with modern table settings as well as tea ceremonies.

Between tradition and innovation

Based on the classic material of straw white glaze, the bold inclined folds in the form go beyond the traditions of Tamba ware and propose a new form of aesthetic beauty. The rich shadows hidden in the minimal color of white, and the natural patterns spun by the earth and fire - these elements resonate with each other in a layered way, elevating the tea bowl from a simple practical vessel to a sculptural work of art.

A story that time adds to

With repeated use, the tea slowly soaks into the cracks, and the ink spots take on a softer nuance. The tea stains remaining in the valleys between the folds add color like moss sprouting on a white snowy surface, imprinting the time and memories of the owner onto the vessel. The scenery that has grown in this way will speak quietly to you during a once-in-a-lifetime tea ceremony.

The silence of the snow walls and the power of fire blend together in this straw white-glazed tea bowl, capturing the majesty of nature in the palm of your hand. If you listen carefully while making tea, you will hear the lingering sound of melting snow flowing down the valley. Please treasure it for a long time and enjoy the process of the black and white scenery changing with the seasons.

Masashi Nishibata Biography

Born on February 24, 1948. Started making pottery in 1969. 1976. Hyogo Prefectural Exhibition Encouragement Award. 1986. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition for the first time. 1988. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan Crafts Association President's Award. 1989. Selected for the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, Handon no Kai, Nogawa Memorial Award. 1991. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Selected for the Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition. 1992. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition, Excellence Award, Hyogo Prefecture Emerging Artist Encouragement Award. Invited to exhibit at the NHK-sponsored Paris-Japanese Ceramics Now 100 Selections, Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Forms Exhibition. 1993. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Solo Exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima Store, Kyoto Chemin. 1994. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store. 1995. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Solo Exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima Store. 1996. Selected for the Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition. Awarded the Excellence Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition, solo exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
1997 Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition 1998 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2000 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Fukuoka 2001 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition at Gallery Dojima 2002 Solo exhibition at Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima 2003 Solo exhibition at Santa Fe Touchingston, USA 2004 Father and son exhibition at Sogo Hiroshima store Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition 2005 Exhibited at Akashi City Museum of Culture and Hyogo Ceramics Exhibition Purchased Akadobedai, Hyogo Ceramic Art Museum Solo exhibition at Gallery Dojima Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi 2006 Grand Prize at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Japan Society Gallery of New York Solo exhibition at Takashimaya Yokohama Touchingston, USA Father and son exhibition at Takashimaya Matsuyama 2007 Toshun-kai Exhibition, Sogo Yokohama Encouragement Award at the Tea Ceremony Art Exhibition Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition 2008 Selected for the Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, Touchingston, USA Toshun-kai Exhibition, Funabashi Seibu Sogo Hiroshima Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition 2009 Solo Exhibition, Gallery Dojima, Sendai Mitsukoshi 2010 Sogo Kobe Exhibited at the Musee Tomo Grand Prize Exhibition, Contemporary Tea Solo Exhibition, Yokohama Takashimaya Touchingston, USA, Santa Fe, 2011 Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Joan B. Marvis, New York, USA Invited to exhibit at the Japanese Ceramics Exhibition 2013 Exhibited at the Musee Tomo "Contemporary Famous Bowls" Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, USA Miyazaki Gallery, Sogo Kobe Chiba Sogo 2014 Solo Exhibition Solo Exhibition, Mitsukoshi Main Store, Santa Fe, USA 2015 Received the Hyogo Prefecture Cultural Award in 2016. Exhibited at Higashihiroshima City Museum of Art for Ceramics that Color Our Lives - Food Wares. Exhibited at Joan B. Marvis' 40th Anniversary Exhibition in 2017.
Solo Exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 2018

A conversation with Masashi Nishibata