Ōhi tea bowl 1991

Editor: This is the Ōhi tea bowl, made in 1991 by Ōhi Toshio. It’s earthenware ceramic, with a really lovely speckled glaze. It makes me think of a night sky... What do you see in it? Curator: I see more than just a pretty bowl. I see a conversation with tradition. Ōhi Toshio is part of a long lineage, but he's also breaking boundaries. Japanese tea ceremonies are deeply rooted in ritual and respect, but within that, where does individual expression lie? Editor: So, it’s a balance between honoring the past and pushing forward? Curator: Exactly! This bowl, its rough texture, the way the glaze pools – it hints at wabi-sabi, finding beauty in imperfection. But think about the tea ceremony itself. It historically enforced hierarchies. Who was allowed to participate, whose voices were heard? And how does someone like Ōhi, working within that tradition, challenge those power dynamics? Does he challenge them? Editor: I guess the roughness complicates the idea of refined ritual, right? Curator: Precisely! It asks us to consider accessibility, who gets to experience beauty, and whose stories are centered. It’s also tempting to question whether the concept of ‘tradition’ becomes limiting, maybe even oppressive. Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't thought about it that way at all. I was just admiring the glaze! Curator: And that’s perfectly valid! Art should spark curiosity, leading us to question everything we think we know. Even something as simple as a tea bowl can be a powerful catalyst for reflection. Editor: I'll definitely look at it differently now. Thanks for opening my eyes.