Clad in Light Matcha Bowl

Clad in Light Matcha Bowl by Seto ware artist Taruta Hiroshi is a piece defined by quiet refinement. Delicately formed and washed in a pale celadon-green hue, the bowl carries a light, graceful presence. Taruta employs the traditional hotarude technique, carving thin diagonal slits across the surface. When light falls upon the bowl, soft shadows gather along these lines, as if light itself were gently draped over the form, evoking the natural, fluid fall of woven fabric. The result is a vessel that conveys a distinctly Japanese sense of understated elegance and poise.

The hotarude technique—literally “firefly technique”—traditionally involves carving intricate openings in porcelain and coating them with a translucent glaze. This allows light to pass through the vessel while maintaining a seamless surface, creating points of illumination reminiscent of fireflies glimmering in a silk-dark night.

Beyond the intricacy of the carving, the glaze plays an essential role in shaping its luminous character. Taruta began working with the glaze during his apprenticeship and continued to refine its formulation by carefully adjusting glaze composition and firing conditions, achieving a balance of color and translucency. The porcelain glows softly while preserving the clarity of the carved lines.

The bowl itself is gently rounded, inviting the hands to cradle it. Subtle ridges and recesses created by the carving add a distinctive tactile quality, while the finely applied glaze lends the surface a velvety feel. As the bowl is turned, shifting light glides across its contours, revealing layers of soft sheen. In these transitions, the piece reveals its restrained grace—a vessel meant not only to be used, but to be contemplated time and again.

Taruta Hiroshi

Taruta Hiroshi is a Seto ware artist specializing in hotarude, an openwork technique in which cutouts are carved in clay, then filled with translucent glaze before firing. Working with porcelain and pale celadon glaze, Taruta thus creates landscapes of light with each delicate incision. He brings an innovative approach to his work, seeking out new modes of expression as he pushes the boundaries of hotarude. His elegant vessels foster interactions between space and light that bring a sense of wonder and quiet mystery.

Articles de Seto

Fabriqué dans et autour de la ville de Seto dans la préfecture d'Aichi, la vaisselle de Seto englobe une large gamme de céramiques qui reflètent des siècles de savoir-faire et d'innovation. Figurant parmi les six fours anciens (Rokkoyo) du Japon, la région de Seto occupe une place de choix dans le patrimoine céramique du pays. Elle fut également pionnière dans la production de porcelaine en série, et son usage répandu a donné naissance au mot « soupe » . Setomono — terme encore utilisé aujourd'hui pour désigner la céramique en général.

Remarquable par son ampleur stylistique, Seto est l'une des rares régions du Japon où l'on fabrique à la fois du grès et de la porcelaine. De la simple vaisselle du quotidien aux pièces plus raffinées, la vaisselle de Seto continue de rythmer le quotidien avec des créations alliant tradition et créativité.