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Haikaburi means literally "ash
covered." It is a technique which involves placing pots in
or around the ash pit of a kiln that has already been fired for several hours.
As more wood is burned, ash builds up to the face of the pot and fuses
with the clay body. With a failure rate of well over 60 percent,
it is a very hit-and-miss technique, but pots that can survive the
grueling conditions around the pit display an unrefined energy like no other
type of ceramic.
This yōhen haikaburi tea ceremony bowl by Wada Tozan is one of those proud
survivors. It was fired at
Oizumi-gama - the Wada family's noborigama
climbing kiln. At 1,250°C (2,300°F) degrees, it was placed
around the ash
pit and blasted with wave after wave of red pine and cedar embers,
each one adding another layer of texture and color until the bowl
became buried on its fired side. What arose from the ashes is a true one-of-a-kind
piece, blessed with incidental details which could never be
reproduced. On the face of the bowl (shōmen), a light ash
slip is transformed into a lunar-like landscape of dark seas and
intricately winding troughs, while the back, in contrast, is more
tranquil. Heat change gradations and encrusted ash inside the
tea pool serve as testament to the awesome temperatures inside the kiln.
The bowl is deftly formed from a grainy clay which is rough yet pleasing to
the touch. It exudes a raw
energy that naturally draws viewers in closer to
ponder the dynamics of its creation.
See Wada Tozan's
Daimaru Gallery Exhibition pictorial
for works from his recent collection.
A wooden presentation box will be custom made to order and signed by
the artist. Delivery time for this item is 2 weeks.
A fukusa (display cloth) is included.
special care instructions |
