ISHIDA Kazuya Rahō Spiral Jar

Description

Ishida Kazuya’s Rahō Spiral jar, with its spiralling pattern, is characteristic of his distinctive Rahō style.

Using local Bizen clay that he prepares himself, Ishida-san enriches the piece with a layer of white slip after the initial throwing. The motion of the potter’s wheel lends the jar a powerful sense of dynamism through its various layers of colour. It was fired in a wood kiln at high temperatures over several days.

While the form of the jar is broad and expansive, the spout is short and delicate. Characteristically for Japanese design, the piece is made without a handle.

This jar was originally intended for serving sake, but it can of course also be used for milk or other liquids.

Capacity approx. 240 ml

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. From these combined traditions, Ishida-san developed his own distinctive interpretation of the Bizen style, which he calls Rahō. The name is inspired by spiralling seashells.

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.