Teardrop-shaped bottle vase with blue hare's fur glaze c. 2003

Miyamura Hideaki's teardrop-shaped bottle vase is a ceramic object glazed with what's called 'blue hare's fur', currently residing in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's all about the glaze, the way those vertical streaks of color just cascade down the form. Artmaking, when it's really cooking, is a process of letting go, trusting the materials to do their thing. Think about the surface texture, the way the light catches those tiny rivulets and pools of glaze. It's so tactile, you just want to run your fingers over it, feel the rise and fall of the surface. I'm reminded of Agnes Martin, how she used the most minimal means to create these shimmering fields of color and light. There's a similar kind of restraint and focus here, a willingness to let the material speak for itself. This piece feels like a conversation between tradition and innovation, with the glaze as its own language. It’s a reminder that art is always in flux, always open to new possibilities and interpretations.