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Through constant experimentation, Kamada Kōji has elevated tenmoku, a technique originating in China during the Song
dynasty, to an even higher level of refinement with the introduction
of several signature glazes, each one adding another facet to the
incredible diversity of his art.
Yōhen shikō is the proud new member to Mr. Kamada's glazing
repertoire. It debuted at his annual Kyoto Takashimaya
Department Store exhibition in 2007 and was well received by the
public. One particular yōhen shikō tea ceremony bowl (view
here) attracted quite a lot of excited admiration with its
celestial aura and became the incidental centerpiece for the showing.
Since that time, it has taken several months of trial and error before
the same brilliant yōhen effects and trademark purple (shikō)
halo could be rendered on pots with more consistency, and the results
of Mr. Kamada's tireless efforts are now proudly on display here.
This guinomi (sake cup) is done in yōhen shikō. Heat within the
kiln serves as the catalyst for a complex reaction between wood ash,
iron oxide and the minerals in the clay body. The results are
transcendent - like a veiny moth's wing in the sunlight, radiating
blended hues of gold and bronze. The purple ring on the interior
speaks of the heavenly associations held in its inscription.
Read literally, the characters for tenmoku mean "heaven's eye."
See
Kamada Kōji's
40th Year Commemorative Exhibition for more works from his 2008 collection.
special care instructions
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