Oukamon Vase by Shinemon Kiln [146203]

[size]
Width: 19.5 cm / Height: 18.5 cm
Width: 7.7 in / Height: 7.3 in

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This is a work by Shinemon Kiln, one of the leading kilns of Arita ware. The tranquility of cherry blossoms at night. Countless blossoms seem to emerge and spread across the deep navy glaze, creating a serene and enchanting scene.

Against a dark blue-purple ground that seems to absorb the light, layers of pale reddish-purple crystals overlap, creating a dreamlike landscape as though cherry blossoms in full bloom had been captured beneath the night sky. Viewed up close, each individual crystal reveals its own unique expression. From a distance, the entire vessel begins to resemble a single magnificent cherry tree in full bloom.

"Oukamon" expresses the beauty of cherry blossoms, which have been cherished in Japan for centuries, not through painted decoration but through the interaction of glaze and fire. What emerges is not simply splendor, but also the fleeting beauty and tranquility found in the brief moment when cherry blossoms reach their fullest bloom.

The refined spherical form contrasts beautifully with the countless cherry blossom-like crystals created unpredictably within the kiln. This interplay gives the work a dignified sense of tension and presence. Evoking the arrival and joy of spring while quietly reflecting the Japanese sense of beauty, this vase captures the poetic atmosphere of cherry blossoms blooming beneath the night sky.


[About the Kiln | Sh inemon Kiln]
Kusuo Baba
(The second-generation head of the Sh inemon Kiln)
Member of Nitten / Councilor of the Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Association / Vice President of the Saga Prefecture Ceramic Association / Director of the Saga Art Association

I create works that inherit the tradition of Arita ware while align ing with contemporary sensibilities. I specialize in the Yohen technique, which skillfully manipulates glazes, add ing an element of serendipity to each piece as it reaches completion, thereby express ing a mystical beauty.

[Kusuo Baba's career is as follows ]
Born in 1952
1976: Jo ined the Saga Prefecture Ceramic Research institute, where he learned the basics of ceramics and began research ing glazes.
1980: Jo ined Maemon Kiln and began creat ing pottery, cont inu ing his research on glazes to this day.
1981: Received strong guidance from Ryuzan Aoki, a recipient of the Order of Culture.
1997: Selected for the Nitten exhibition for "Kyoku Ei." Subsequently, he has been selected 20 times.
2004: Exhibited "Haruka wo N fl ozomu" and "Umibe no Uta" at the Arita Pottery Exhibition in Germany.
2010: Held the "Encounter ing Colors at Ogurayama" exhibition at Jojakkoji Temple in Kyoto.
2014: Appo inted as a judge for the 53rd Contemporary Arts and Crafts Exhibition.
2021: Elected as a councilor of the Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Association.

[Ma in Awards]
1997: Selected for the Nitten exhibition for "Kyoku Ei."
2000: Awarded the Grand Prize and the 50th Anniversary Special Prize at the Saga Prefecture Exhibition for "Haruka na Sazanami."
2003: Received the Ryuzan Aoki Prize at the 100th Anniversary Kyushu Yamaguchi Ceramic Exhibition for "Umibe no Uta."
2005: Received the Contemporary Craft Award at the Contemporary Craft Exhibition for "Reimei-05."
2008: Received the Contemporary Craft Full Member Award at the Contemporary Craft Exhibition for "Kyoku-08(1)."
2011: Received the Director's Award at the 50th Anniversary Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Exhibition for "Sazanami no Uta."
2012: Won the Special Prize at the Nitten exhibition for "Haruka na M ine."
2012: Received the Grand Prize and the Ryuzan Aoki Prize at the Contemporary Crafts Kyushu Exhibition for "Sankei."

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