IRON & ASH IV

Wonderful and powerful ash and iron glazed (haiyu(no)tetsuyu) chawan by Kyoto potter, Kimura Morinobu. The broad bowl fits well, cupped in the hands with a foot that compliments the curved form that culminates in the uneven and meandering lip. The tetsuyu is speckled with small iron crystals that are interrupted by the areas of thick, white to green ash that adds a rather pleasing mottled effect across the exterior and part of the interior creating a visual depth to chawan. Though I am slightly biased when it comes to Kimura Morinobu, I think it is safe to say that his simple and uncomplicated work blends parts of the Kyoto wabi-sabi aesthetic that goes back centuries along with the clean and unfettered lines and surfaces that are clearly the characteristics of modern pottery espoused in the 50s and 60s as well as across the various Scandanavian countries. Though this chawan is a bit more complicated than others, the bones of the pot remain true to his ideals of simplicity where this surface is right at home creating an overall sense of harmony which is quite typically seen in the works of Kimura Morinobu.