DETAILS

I was recently contacted and asked "what's with all the detail pix?" and thought to relate this simple experience. Years ago, I was contacted by a dealer with a group of photos of a pleasant looking chawan that I really didn't show much interest in but was highly encourage to take a look at the piece in person. The pot arrived and true to their word, the bowl was quite exceptional in person and was betrayed by the limits of the photographs. Flash forward to the digital age and the internet and these details flush out pieces that may seem nice in an overall shot but with a detail picture the whole thing becomes a lot clearer in terms of what is actually happening with the pot and its surface. As if that wasn't enough, by sharing detail pictures a clearer understanding of pots that many individuals may not ever get a chance to handle is the next best thing to seeing the piece in person or behind glass at an exhibition or museum show.   

Illustrated is a perfect detail shot, this is the interior of a Ki-Seto guinomi by Goto Hideki. The texture and glaze are just perfect for these semi-amorphous forms based on seashells, watatsumi, creating depth and movement to counter-balance the nature of the forms. Normally, the interiors are hidden but it is exactly this detail that clearly illustrates the brilliance of the partnership between the whole and the sum of its parts at which Goto excels.