ブルズアイ

I put together a short video slideshow of a rather nice Shino kinuta-hanaire, mallet vase by Hayashi Kotaro. The body of the piece is well articulated with facets and spatula work while the neck rises like a study spire from the shoulder, flaring toward the top with areas of scorching seen here and there. The rich color of the clay dramatically affects how the pot is perceived depending on the light source with it appearing blushed orange to pink with direct artificial light and a more subdued white with areas of highlights under natural lighting. The bottom of the pot shows wonderful areas of shadows created by firing the pot on straw just like the effects of hidasuki in Bizen together with an exhibition sticker, lucky number 13 that has survived since the late 1970s or very early 80s. Though made at least 35 years ago, this piece has a classical freshness that straddles the feudal and the modern, the goal of most potters who look to the Momoyama era to create works in the present, bull's-eye!