A Modern Shigaraki Tea Bowl by Wataru Motomura
- Artist:
- Wataru Motomura
- Era:
- Contemporary
- Price:
- SOLD
- Inquire:
- Contact gallery
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The artist who produced this piece, Wataru Motomura, prides himself in living a traditional life in the eastern hills of Kyoto—long known for its rich clay and idyllic pastoral lands. Though the form of this vessel appears innovative and playful, the techniques and materials used to produce it have been around for many hundreds of years. Taking inspiration from the varied pottery traditions of his native Hyogo, Motomura is also known to use clay and methods from the Shigaraki region and many of his pieces, including the one here, most closely resemble this style.
Born in the city of Kobe in 1974, Motomura moved out to the countryside of Hyogo several years after graduating university to establish his first kiln. After building an “ana-gama” (a very traditional wood-fired kiln for small batch production), he began producing his wares and exhibiting widely. Some years later, he purchased an old farmhouse near Kyoto which he renovated himself and where he now operates his pottery studio. For Motomura, pottery is a sort of spiritual practice, and, in his words (roughly translated): “In a kiln, fire flows like water; in some places there is turbulence, in other places it moves like a babbling brook. The quality of this flow becomes the landscape that is impressed upon the vessel; and, though the kiln operator guides this process, the kiln is the final arbiter of the flow. In this way, the pottery produced embodies both the spirit of man and the spirit of nature.”
In excellent condition this piece is 5.1 inches in diameter at its widest point (13cm), and stands 4 inches tall (10.3 cm). It comes with its original wood box signed by the artist (tomobako), and—signifying this is one of the best pieces by this artist—a second decorative outer box in lacquer. Inside the first box there is included an informational insert made from traditional Japanese paper (washi) detailing the artist and the kiln, and also a protective cloth marked with the artist’s seal. *** International shipping and insurance included in the price.
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