FORM CONSCIOUS

I have to say, this is a form that you don’t encounter that often by the versatile and very form conscious mind and hands of Kawai Takeichi. As is pretty clean, this is a molded henko form and since I am not really so good at making molds, I suspect this is a four-part mold, correct me if I am wrong. The angles, planes, dividing boundaries and mouth all work in perfect harmony with the form if just a bit busier than I am used to seeing from the potter. Using all the lines of the piece, Kawai Takeichi skillfully applied shinsha, gosu and tetsu-yu glazes to create this patchwork assemblage across a tall and commanding monolith that is clearly rooted in some architectural elements or another. The glazing and firing carefully present a semi-crisp landscape where the edges and meeting junctures blend ever so little in a soft and appealing manner. As I said, I don’t usually see such complex forms among the Kawai school potters but this one is clearly a welcome addition to Takeichi’s body of work and the tradition in general.