Monday, January 9, 2023

OUT OF THE WAY

I don't think that I have ever spent much time considering or pondering the results of what you would end up with if you combined elements of industrial, architectural, modernist and traditional design all together in a 3-D printer but if I had, perhaps this would have been the outcome. Though at its core this pot is a traditional chawan built and intended for use in chanoyu as you survey the form and surface it is rather clear it is more than that, a complex blend of planes, angles, design and other visual, aesthetic considerations. The surface and form of this chawan are highly animated and it almost seems to be evolving as you shift your perception around the bowl while the glaze and effects create a rather evocative, surreal surface of shimmering golds, yellows, streaks of blacks, straw and oatmeal presenting a revolving landscape that is certainly on the imaginary side. This creative chawan was made by Koinuma Michio and I should note that the foot and interior are also packed with the same bravado as the exterior and I hope that this short video slideshow gives a glimpse in to this chawan which has gone out of its way to challenge both tradition and expectations. Enjoy.