Etsuji Noguchi 'Bowl' (4)

Dimensions: H 10cm x W 30cm 

Materials: Wild Clay

Method:  Hand turned 

Care: Water-tight and food-safe. Wash gently by hand.

Description

Elevated on a narrow base, this wide, shallow bowl opens gently outward, its form balanced between lightness and stability. A small spout detail at the rim introduces a subtle gesture of function; the piece invites both use and contemplation. This vessel is made from naturally sourced materials and has been exquisitely hand-turned before being fired in a textured lichen-like glaze. The surface bears a crystalline texture, enriched by a deep chromatic blend of natural colours.

About the Artist

Etsuji Noguchi is a contemporary ceramic artist based in Kagoshima prefecture. His fascination with Yakishime pottery from Tanegashima, a southern island of Japan, instigated his relocation to the island in 1999. During his tenure at Tanegashima, Noguchi devoted his days to various activities such as excavating and processing clay from the mountains, preparing firewood, and firing pottery in traditional kilns. His experience using naturally sourced raw materials continues to shape his work and is fundamental to his practice.

Noguchi's mastery of firewood kilns is particularly evident in his latest series, Verdigris Green. These dynamic, finely made pieces murmur through hues of chromium oxide to rich copper green. This hum of colour is echoed in the tactile moss-like surfaces he achieves by adding an accumulation of ash during the firing processes. The resulting works blur the line between contemporary pottery and historical artefacts, endowing them with an enigmatic beauty that leaves the origins of these pieces unclear, an ideal that Noguchi is seeking within his work.