Tanpen Sue Chawan ”Tsukimi-Shoji" by Keiseki Yoshimi

A Tanpen Sue Chawan by Keiseki Yoshimi, titled “Tsukimi Shoji” (Moon-Viewing Shoji). During the forming process, the clay accidentally tore, leaving openings in the body of the bowl. At first, Yoshimi simply set the piece aside, unsure of what to do with it. Then, a visitor to his gallery noticed it and remarked, “What is this? It’s interesting.” That unexpected reaction prompted the artist to look again at what had initially seemed like an accident. Yoshimi then reworked the bowl, carving the area beside the foot at an angle so that the chawan could be set diagonally and actually used for preparing tea. When filled with matcha, its vivid green color appears through the openings in the side, creating a view reminiscent of glimpsing the moon through a shoji screen—an image that led to the title “Tsukimi Shoji.” The bowl has also been tested in an actual tea setting by a tea practitioner close to the artist, confirming that it functions fully as a chawan. Rather than rejecting an accidental form, Yoshimi transformed it into an entirely new way of experiencing both the vessel and the act of drinking tea. It is an exceptionally avant-garde and radical work—one that seems to overturn the very conventions of what a chawan can be. Width: 12.2 cm / Height: 9.5 cm The work comes with a paulownia wood box. (We will ship within 3 business days after completing your order.) You can add a digital certificate to this product for free. If you wish, please select "Attach a CERT (digital certificate)" from the tab below. Click here for information on CERT (digital certificate). Click here for a list of Yoshimi Hotseki's works. Interview with Yoshimi Fuiseki