Flask (tokkuri) 2012

Curator: Welcome! Here we have a piece by Imaizumi Takeshi titled "Flask (tokkuri)," created in 2012. It's crafted from earthenware and ceramic. Editor: It’s immediately striking how delicate and robust it seems at once. That subtle, celadon crackle gives it such depth! Curator: The crackle is intentional, a surface effect known as "kan'nyu" in Japanese ceramics. The artist, Imaizumi Takeshi, is renowned for his mastery of celadon glazes. The cracks aren’t flaws, but controlled fractures that speak to the nature of the material itself, and of the immense temperatures required in their production. This invites us to reflect on the historical trajectory of ceramic traditions in Japan, deeply intertwined with rituals. Editor: Absolutely. When you talk about its production, you really get a sense of all that this vessel is, the firing, the preparation of the clay. Celadon ware historically became highly sought after by privileged people and high status monks, so that in and of itself speaks to societal hierarchy. Curator: Right, and we must acknowledge that ceramics aren't made in a vacuum. There is labor involved. What's remarkable about Takeshi's practice is his effort to simultaneously honor those historical roots and push the medium to the extreme. This pushes the vessel, seemingly simultaneously, in different directions, of both something both treasured, used, ritualized, as well as highly contemporary and individual. Editor: That duality is what makes this tokkuri so captivating. It reflects both tradition and modern expression. One almost wonders about how this Flask operates, what would the experience of those privileged hands you reference, might be. Curator: This piece stands as a poignant reflection on legacy and craft. Editor: Agreed, seeing that subtle glazing against the weight of that production is a potent experience.