DRAMA

In a world best defined by subtleties and the quiet nature of form and surface I can't help but think how dramatic and animated this chawan by Yoshida Yoshihiko actually is. Having studied under Arakawa Toyozo, Yoshida watched the master and distilled an aesthetic where surfaces became much simpler draped onto pots that have striped any superfluous detail away to get at the very bare bones of form that convey subtle nuances balanced against a credible utility. In this case, the bowl is simple, purposeful and mindful of function, balanced on a simple foot cut from a coarse clay leaving a wonderful crumbly texture that pleases the eye and feels good and sturdy in the hand. The chawan was decorated in an iron pigment segmenting the bowl around the form punctuated by iron dots closer to the lip almost mimicking exploding fireworks with a creamy ash style glaze acting as a backdrop to the brushwork. Despite the obviously more active surface and the drama that I mentioned, Yoshida has assembled the form, surface and decoration in a rather harmonious manner making for a simple bowl, with a simple surface ready to face a simple use and complex conversation with either viewer or user.

https://www.trocadero.com/stores/albedo3studio/items/1481169/YOSHIDA-YOSHIHIKO-IRON-DECORATED-HAIYU-CHAWAN