Ceramic Jar c. 20th century

Kitaōji Rosanjin made this ceramic jar drawing with ink on paper sometime in his lifetime. There’s something so beautiful about how the artist captured the form of the jar with such fluidity and simplicity. Imagine Rosanjin wielding the brush, loading it with ink, and then letting it dance across the paper. The jar emerges from the paper through these spontaneous gestures, each stroke leaving a trace of the artist’s hand and intention. It reminds me a bit of Cy Twombly’s loose, gestural marks, but with a Japanese sensibility. I bet Rosanjin was deeply engaged in a dialogue with the materials and allowing the ink to flow freely, creating these delicate drips and washes. It’s a conversation between control and chance, where the artist guides the process, but also allows the ink to have its say. It's like he's saying to us: here’s a jar, but it’s also so much more – it’s about movement, chance, and seeing where the ink takes you.