Potter: Iwai Jun

Approximate size: W2.4″ by H2.3″ or 6.0 by 5.8cm

For sale is a kogo (a holding vessel for incense), by ceramic artist Jun Iwai. Jun Iwai is a ceramic artist who has a kiln called Rikkagama, in the suburb of Sendai-shi. His work is a unique adaptation of Rikka Tenmokuyu Chawan. He studied crystal glaze and ”Tenmoku” glaze, and he creates pieces that are breathtakingly beautiful. The standout characteristic of his pieces is the pattern that shines likes stars on the plates.

”For example, the colour gold. It is very difficult to handle. You can easily overdo it , and the elegance will be lost.” So he felt uncomfortable about using gold in his work. However, through his encounter with European culture and interactions with many people, that discomfort gradually faded away, and he now often uses gold foils in his work.

Apart from the exhibition in Rome in 2007, Iwai held many exhibitions overseas as ”ANTINOO Series”. They were held in America, Italy, Korea and other places. These experience contributed to broadening his style, he said.

Currently, he is working on a new technique to produce crystal glaze by controlling temperature. His flexibility and desire to pursue new things may be a result of his many experiences.

When he held an exhibition in Rome in 2007, Laura Monachesi of the Antinoo Foundation was so impressed by the beauty that it reminded her of stars in heaven, and she called it ”the Star of Antinous”. Antinous was a youth with striking beauty who was loved by the Roman Emperor Hadrianus, 2000 years ago. He died a tragic death by throwing himself in the Nile. The Emperor mourned his death so deeply, that he deified the beautiful Antinous as the constellation Antinous. Iwai’s works were highly praised that this deified beauty seemed to appear on his plates.

The kogo has no chips or cracks and is in excellent condition. It appears to be unused – great haki. Comes with the original signed paulownia wooden box.

---

SOLD

Thank you very much!