Hiroshi Toyofuku Katakuchi 3

Dimensions: H 9cm x W 12cm 

Materials: Hiyose clay

Method:  hand built, wood fired

Care: Can hold water. Dust lightly to clean.

Description

Produced in Bizen with the local hiyose clay, this expressive katakuchi possesses an angular form and earthy texture. The wood-firing process lasts over a week and results in unpredictable "patterns" such as the hidasuki pattern revealed on this piece. Hidasuki is a Bizen technique entailing wrapping straw around the piece and when fired the surface touched by the straw turns bright scarlet, a stunning testament to the material's inherent beauty and character. Distinguished by the marbled, stratified surface of the clay, the angular forms of Toyofuku’s pieces are intended to showcase this effectively. At first glance, it appears to be a complex series of overlapping surfaces, but it is a very simple form that is assembled with regularity. Made by piling up string-like clay, the technique is one of the most primitive methods and results in a dynamic form that balances historicity with a contemporary flair.

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.