Goma Five-Sided Matcha Bowl

The Goma Five-Sided Matcha Bowl is a work shaped by both the artist's hand and the nature of the kiln. Rising from a pentagonal foot, the form opens into five gently flowing panels, each one extending upward with an organic rhythm that balances structure and movement. 

Goma is a classic of Bizen ware, its name derived from its resemblance to scattered sesame seeds. This pattern emerges as wood ash, carried upward by the kiln's draft, settles and melts across the surface of the vessel. To draw out its distinctive landscape, the bowl was deliberately placed in the front row of the uppermost shelf, where ash falls most generously. 

Mori Toshiaki employed a two-stage firing process: the bowl was first fired in the climbing kiln in a stable position to set its form, then fired a second time in the kakugama, a single-chamber kiln, where it was exposed to the full intensity of the ash. This careful sequencing ensures that the vessel holds its shape even as the surface continues to transform.

The pooled rivulets of ash that gather along the rim, known as tamadare, were formed by setting the bowl at a slight forward tilt during the second firing, allowing molten ash to flow and collect at the edge. Because the bowl rested on three shell supports during this process, the foot also bears subtle imprints from the shells.

Beyond the firing process, the form itself carries meaning. The design reflects Mori's engagement with the philosophical balance of yin and yang, in which straight lines and a restrained tone speak to yin, while curves and the five sides of the pentagon carry the energy of yang. In this bowl, opposing principles meet in a single, resolved form—a reflection of his deep respect for the Bizen tradition and his willingness to explore new possibilities within it.

Mori Toshiaki

Parmi les prestigieuses lignées connues sous le nom de Bizen Rokusei, ou Six Anciens Fours de la Céramique de Bizen, le Four Hozan s'impose comme une institution vénérable. Mori Toshiaki, successeur de la 19e génération, perpétue magistralement cette riche tradition tout en ouvrant de nouvelles perspectives. Conciliant ses responsabilités au four avec ses activités artistiques personnelles, Mori mène des recherches approfondies et explore des approches innovantes en matière de techniques de façonnage et de cuisson, repoussant ainsi les limites de la céramique de Bizen.

Céramique de Bizen

La céramique de Bizen est un grès traditionnel produit dans la région d'Imbe, dans la préfecture d'Okayama. C'est l'une des plus anciennes céramiques du Japon et elle est fabriquée selon les techniques traditionnelles. yakishime technique dans laquelle les pièces sont cuites à haute température sans glaçure pour les rendre durables et résistantes à l'eau.

La céramique de Bizen est appelée « l'art de l'argile et du feu » en raison des couleurs et des motifs exquis produits par les flammes du four, et se caractérise par son design minimaliste wabi sabi.