SEMI-LINEAR

Illustrated is another Bizen chawan by Sakikabara Keishi though in this case it is left more or less as it was thrown with the exception of the foot. This Kuro-Bizen style chawan shows some small amount of manipulation creating a form both large and well suited to the hands showing off a rich lustrous surface and a fitting but slightly obtuse kodai. Despite the initial display of simplicity, there is a complex arrangement of texture to the clay and all natural surface with hints of spatula work and some other marks rendered by the potter and a well fired surface of rich diversity. As is abundantly clear, Sakikabara studied with Isezaki Jun in the late 70s and took away well learned lessons as to how best to make use of clay, surface and firing in which he crafted his own unique voice of modern day Bizen. Perhaps the biggest take away from this chawan is a well conceived blend of the old and new while moving in a semi-linear fashion within the Bizen tradition, using the best of both worlds. By putting forward a style influenced by time and archetypes, old and modern Sakikabara Keishi clearly has something new to say and that is locked deep inside a chawan just like this one.