Hiroshi Toyofuku 'Guinomi V'

Dimensions - H 6.5cm x W 6.5cm

Material - Hiyose clay

Method - Hand built, wood fired 

Care - Can hold water, dust lightly to clean

Description

Working in Bizen with locally sourced hiyose clay, Toyofuku creates a range of vessels, from angular vases and lidded pots to sake bottles and cups. His works are characterised by bold, sculptural forms composed of shard like planes that create silhouettes both striking and playful, often incorporating unexpected details such as small, seemingly random feet and origami like overlapping parts.

Rich earthy greys and browns are met by bold tones of orange and flashes of fiery red, the result of an extended wood-firing process that produces spontaneous and unpredictable surface effects unique to each piece. 

Often constructed using hand-built, rope-like coils of clay, one of the oldest ceramic techniques, Toyofuku's work honours the historic traditions of Bizen ware while expressing a distinctly contemporary sensibility.

About the Artist 

Based in the Bizen area of Okayama, Hiroshi Toyofuku is a ceramicist whose pottery is distinguished by a marbled, stratified surface and angular forms. Bizen has been the centre of Bizen-ware production for over a thousand years and is characterized by unglazed, wood-fired kilns, and firings that last more than a week. Each piece is a testament to the inherent beauty, honesty, and history within Toyofuku’s materials and production methods.

Read more about Hiroshi's practice and view his full collection..