Sake cup (guinomi) c. 20th century

This is a sake cup, or guinomi, by Sugimoto Tatsuo, which sits in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The off-white glaze is like a cracked landscape; you can see the brown earth peeking through. Imagine Tatsuo at the wheel, coaxing this humble material into something that feels both ancient and utterly present. The rim is uneven, inviting your touch. The cup swells and tapers, settling on a rough, dark base. I’m thinking about the warmth of the kiln, the artist’s breath, and the quiet anticipation as the cup cools. It is as if the artist said, ‘let’s make something to hold the moment'. I wonder if Tatsuo knew that each firing would yield a unique story, a fingerprint of the flame? He's in dialogue with potters across time, each one adding a verse to the song of clay. This cup is not just an object; it’s a vessel of shared experience, an invitation to savor, to connect, to be present.