Tea bowl (chawan) c. 20th century

This tea bowl, or chawan, was made by Nakamura Okoku. I imagine the artist’s hands shaping the clay, feeling the cool, malleable earth between their fingers. The bowl, glazed in deep reds and browns, seems to have emerged from a volcanic heat. Its surface is alive with subtle variations, each a testament to the unpredictable alchemy of the kiln. Think about the patience involved. Each firing is a gamble, a dialogue between the artist’s intention and the material’s will. You can see that conversation in the glaze’s ebbs and flows, in the way the colors deepen and lighten, creating a landscape on a small scale. Looking at this bowl, I feel a connection to a long line of ceramicists, each one pushing the boundaries of what clay can do. It is a reminder that art is not just about the finished product, but about the journey, the process of making and discovery. It's all about the conversation, the shared inquiry.