As
if cradled and suspended by a lotus
blossom (nelumbo nucifera), this hakuji chawan is by Kawai Hisashi, a student
of Kawai Kanjiro during the 1960s. Heavily carved out of blended Shigaraki
clay, the lotus blossom design is in high relief and is a pleasure in the hand
and the white glaze coats the bowl in a flowing surface while breaking to a
clear accentuating the brown lines of the carved surface. Kawai Hisashi is
quite well known for his high relief surface created for his molded works and
for his thrown and hand carved pieces as well, many of which use his
distinctive take on his master's gosu surface. The more I look at this chawan, the
more I see the contemplative, almost spiritual side of the piece, embodying the
Buddhist concepts of spiritual awakening and purity, both of which I think are reflected
in the form and aesthetics of this simple bowl.
"Your heart is filled with fertile seeds, waiting to sprout. Just as a lotus flower springs from the mire to bloom splendidly, the interaction of the cosmic breath causes the flower of the spirit to bloom and bear fruit in this world." Morihei Ueshiba
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