Dimensions: W 11 cm x H 48 cm
Materials: Porcelain and Urushi
Method:
Kenta’s work is thrown in porcelain and his glaze is infused with a small amount of urushi - a natural Japanese natural lacquer, giving each piece a uniquely detailed surface pattern to contrast with the simple forms. The thoughtfully aged surface of Kenta’s work takes months to create with endless polishing and refining.
Description:
Crafted by renowned artist Kenta Anzai, this breath-taking vessel achieves the perfect balance between subtlety and intricacy. Anzai spends several months creating his distinct ceramic works, through the manual process of sanding, polishing, and refining. He uses a combination of porcelain and Urushi, a Japanese lacquer that originates from tree sap, repeating this process until the work is complete, resulting in the beautifully aged surface. Trusting his own intuition, Anzai believes in making work subconsciously, ‘feeling’ his creative decisions rather than overthinking.
A statement piece which holds a presence, this vessel features a lengthy body with warm, complex detailing at the peak and a curled opening. They are intriguing characteristics which compliment the form, and contrast against the rich glaze.
About the Artist
Kenta Anzai belongs to a highly distinguished line of ceramic artists in Japan. He studied ceramics at the Traditional Art School of Kyoto, before becoming an apprentice to the renowned master potter Taizo Kuroda, learning from his distinctive pure white porcelain. Kuroda was himself an apprentice to Tatsuzo Shimaoka, a “living national treasure” in Japan and a pupil of Shoji Hamada, who had begun the dialogue between Eastern and Western studio ceramics through his meeting with Bernard Leach. It is a truly impressive lineage.
