IN USE

I recently had a very pretty seihakuji benisai vase by Morino Kako pass through my hands. The vase has found a new home and the new owner sent me a picture of the pot in use in front of her fireplace. There is always something exceptionally satisfying about seeing pots being used for the everyday, the formal occasion and for varying ceremony, it is the fait acompli for most pottery. In this particular case the evocative, lush green and yellow of the iris amplifies the colors and purpose of the vase and adds a punctuation to the function of the Chinese inspired vase. As a functional potter, a pot in use is a pot complete.

(Photo courtesy of a private collector.)

BLOOM

Illustrated is a classically inspired vase form, in Chinese taste, by Kyoto veteran, Morino Kako (1899-1987). This porcelain vase is glazed in a pale, robbin's egg blue seihakuji glaze with an ethereal copper red, peach-bloom accent across the front belly of the pot. To say that Morino Kako was a glaze magician would be an understatement, his glazes were wonderful and most pieces you encounter by him show a precision and artistry that is captivating; techniques and ideals that he passed on to his son, Morino Taimei. Though simple in design and execution, vessels such as this have a profound nature the reminds one of some serendipitous encounter in nature or falling deep into a fine poem or song. It may sound entirely cliche, but frankly, there are few potters that make pots like this today.

You can see more pictures of the Morino Kako over at my virtual market place;

http://www.trocadero.com/stores/albedo3studio/items/1244129/item1244129store.html