ISHIDA Kazuya Black RaSō 螺奏 Vase

Description

The black spiral vase RaSō (螺奏) is far more than a ceramic vessel. It represents the latest evolution in the artistic language of Ishida Kazuya. The RaSō style extends his renowned Rahō technique, making even greater use of the centrifugal force of the potter’s wheel.
This process generates not only the characteristic spirals but also subtle torsions that lend the form a heightened sense of tension. The result appears suspended in motion — a moment captured at the edge where force and material push each other to their limits.

The vase was fired in a traditional anagama kiln, protected within a charcoal capsule. This process produces a deep matte black surface, within which subtle shades of grey emerge upon closer inspection. These delicate tonal variations give the work depth and invite a meditative form of viewing.

Ishida Kazuya describes this new expression as “a melody of spirals.” For collectors, the work offers more than a spatial presence: it carries within it a quiet dialogue between craft, nature, and time.
Discover the making of this vase.

ISHIDA KAZUYA

Spirals and Waves: A Portrait of Nature in the Bizen Style

Ishida Kazuya comes from a family of potters in Bizen. Bizen is one of Japan’s most important ceramic regions and is renowned for its unglazed, high-fired pottery.

For four years, Ishida Kazuya studied under Isezaki Jun, Bizen’s current Living National Treasure. His experience in the United Kingdom, where he worked with slip and slipware techniques, has also had a strong influence on his work. Ishida Kazuya developed a distinctive interpretation of the Bizen style, which he calls Rahō (螺法). The name is derived from spiral-shaped shells.

Indeed, his creations are deeply inspired by nature. Ishida-san is fascinated by the dynamic forms and movements found in ancient rocks and spiralling seashells, and he seeks to capture these patterns in his work. Firing in a traditional noborigama or anagama kiln adds further layers of complexity to each piece through the effects of flame and the natural deposition of wood ash.