STAMP OF APPROVAL

I recently received this Ko-Iga style chawan by Kojima Kenji from the same collector that the last two chawan by the same potter came from. This kutsu-gata chawan is a bit more rugged than the last two with the face a bit scorched by the ash and flame that then wraps around the body of the piece to embrace the rear. The reverse is highlighted by ash drips, an old Iga style impressed decorative device and three rather nice shell imprinted scars showing how the chawan was oriented in the kiln during the intense firing. There is a rather pleasant sense of movement in the form obviously aided by the undulation of the lip and the way in which the ash moved before being frozen in that moment where the kiln reached its crescendo of temperature before starting to cool. This appearance may be medieval but you can see Kojima Kenji's hands all over this chawan which like most of his other bowls, there is a stoic pragmatism to the pot that gives way to enjoyment of form, texture, posture, balance and even color. You can see a few more photos of this chawan over at my Trocadero marketplace;

https://www.trocadero.com/stores/albedo3studio/items/1441706/EXHIBITED-KO-IGA-CHAWAN-BY-KOJIMA-KENJI