Narumi Oribe tea bowl by Yanashita Hideki

Width 12.1cm x Height 11.4cm

- Color and earth intersect, a fault line in memory -

A bowl that makes you feel like the wind of Momoyama is gently blowing through it.
The Narumi Oribe tea bowl by Toki Yanagishita is a deliberate "fusion of different things" with a delicate harmony of shape, color, and material. It is not just beautiful, but also has a nostalgic, yet never-before-seen landscape.

Narumi Oribe is considered the most elaborate type of Oribe ware, and is a form of expression that requires a high level of compositional skill both technically and visually. This piece also has that very "multi-layered" quality at its core. A copper-green glaze is applied over the white clay, and the rich, vibrant "Oribe green" spreads out vividly. It is a deep, rich green, as if it were a copy of a corner of a mossy garden. It is not merely decorative, but also plays a role in giving the entire tea bowl a living, breathing quality.

On the other hand, white clay is applied to the red clay parts, and iron painting is added on top of that. The strength of the clay, the lightness of the lines, and the depth of the glaze all resonate with each other at different tempos, creating a sense of depth in the visual sense. It is somewhat like an abstract painting, or a landscape painting.
The “surface” of the vessel appears as a layer of time and memory.

The softness of the form and the presence of the earth

The mold is hand-kneaded, and the shape gently widens towards the rim, so it fits naturally in the palm of your hand. The shape is soft and plump, and exudes a warmth that is somehow inclusive.

The surface is slightly wobbly, and when the light hits it, the shadows change slightly, and the appearance changes depending on the angle and time of day you view it. It is at the boundary where the clay and the glaze meet that "tranquility" and "strength" exist simultaneously.

Diversity and harmony: Narumi Oribe on the modern age

Narumi Oribe is a type of pottery in which various elements coexist but never clash, but rather exist in harmony and rhythm. Yanagishita Tokiki has perfectly captured the essence of this style, firing this bowl as a contemporary example of "harmony."

Different clays forming one vessel, strong greens and soft whites side by side. There is an overlap with the image of modern people living with contradictions. Recognizing differences, engaging in dialogue, and elevating them into beauty - isn't this the modern philosophy embodied in Oribe?

A vessel that preserves the memory of the earth

Narumi Oribe Tea Bowl is a work with the theme of "Dialogue between Color and Earth." The breath of Oribe green. Each element speaks to the other, creating a single "landscape." This tea bowl is a vessel in which you see something different every time you look at it. There is an open space there, as if it purposely refuses to be completed. This truly shows the way it exists as a "vessel that grows together," which is completed over time by the user.

Hideki Yanashita Profile
Ceramicist 1967 –
Born in Tokyo, Yanagishita is currently based in Iga, Mie Prefecture. Fascinated by pottery from the Momoyama period, he embarked on the path of ceramics. After training in Shigaraki, he built his own anagama kiln in Iga, Mie Prefecture, and opened the Kanda Kiln. Under the tutelage of Sadamitsu Sugimoto, Yanagishita has been creating a wide variety of works , including Raku ware, Yakishime, Ido, and Oribe, while deeply exploring the world of wabi-sabi from his own unique perspective. An important theme in Yanagishita's creations is the quest for new heights , born from the incorporation of modern materials and unique approaches while deeply studying the techniques and spirit of his predecessors. His works question essential beauty that is timeless, and invite the viewer into a deeper world of art.

Base of operations : Iga, Mie Prefecture