Whirl of Light Matcha Bowl

Whirl of Light Matcha Bowl by Seto ware artist Taruta Hiroshi captivates with an interplay of dreamlike brightness and shadow. Delicately formed and glazed in pale celadon, the bowl carries a light, graceful presence. Its surface is animated by a sequence of rhythmic spirals, each carefully spaced to create a harmonious visual cadence. The swirling pattern suggests the dynamic order of a whirlpool—an elegant form where movement and structure meet. As light touches the bowl, the curved lines catch and release it in gentle intervals, producing shifting highlights that lend the vessel a sense of depth and motion. The result is a matcha bowl that balances disciplined design with poetic atmosphere.

The technique Taruta applied, known as hotarude—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. Though hotarude cut-outs are typically circular, Taruta specializes in linear carvings, bringing his own unique artistic vision to the form.

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.

As the vessel is slowly turned, light glides along the spiraling lines, gathering and dispersing across the surface in soft, shifting patterns. The subtle movement of brightness and shadow reveals new facets of the form with each glance, inviting a moment of calm reflection. 

Taruta Hiroshi

Taruta Hiroshi is a Seto ware artist specializing in linear hotarude, an openwork technique in which cutouts of graceful lines 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.