{"title":"Yamada Hikaru (山田光)","description":"\u003cp\u003eWorks by the ceramic artist Yamada Hikaru (山田光, 1923–2001) currently available at Antique Liquor.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"279","title":"Recipient of the Kyoto Prefecture Order of Cultural Merit, Sodeisha Co-Founder Yamada Hikaru (山田光), Kohiki Iron-Painted Dotted Line Pattern Coffee Cup and Saucer, A White Sake Vessel Where the Amber Color of Whisky Beautifully Reflects #279","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"17\"\u003eThis is a Kohiki iron-painted coffee cup and saucer crafted by Yamada Hikaru (1923–2001), a titan of modern ceramic art who co-founded the avant-garde ceramic art group \"Sodeisha\" in 1948 alongside \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E5%85%AB%E6%9C%A8%E4%B8%80%E5%A4%AB%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYagi Kazuo\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E9%88%B4%E6%9C%A8%E6%B2%BB%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eSuzuki Osamu\u003c\/a\u003e, and consistently led the group until its dissolution in 1998. The artist, Yamada Hikaru, grew up immersed in pottery making from an early age under his father, the ceramic artist Yamada Tetsu, and acquired professional expertise in the Ceramics Department of the Kyoto Higher School of Crafts (currently Kyoto Institute of Technology). He is one of the most vital artists who liberated ceramics from the conventional \"beauty of utility\" and established the genre of objet ceramics as pure artistic creation in Japan. Throughout his life, he was awarded the Japan Ceramic Society Award (and later its Gold Prize), recognized as a Kyoto City Person of Cultural Merit, and received the Kyoto Art and Culture Award. His works are extensively housed in major museums both within Japan and internationally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"18\"\u003eOur shop proposes this precious coffee cup and saucer, left behind by this leading figure of avant-garde ceramics, not merely as a coffee cup, but as a special Japanese Kogei sake vessel tailored for slowly savoring the highest quality Japanese whisky or aged sake that has deepened with time. The mug-shaped design, featuring a slightly smaller size, possesses an ample presence to thoroughly enjoy the rich aroma of aged sake right in your hand. Furthermore, the soft white tone of the Kohiki glaze that envelops the entire vessel vividly highlights the beautiful amber gradation of whisky, maximizing its visual allure. The entire surface of the vessel exhibits a fine, beautiful crazing that is evenly distributed without being overly assertive, forming a profound expression nurtured by time. In addition, the authentic pottery mark of the character \"Hikaru\" is clearly discernible at the base of the cup's handle and on the reverse side of the saucer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"19\"\u003eThe greatest highlight of this work lies in the exceptional integration of Yamada Hikaru's signature avant-garde objet-making philosophy into a practical vessel. While Yamada Hikaru focused primarily on the production of one-of-a-kind objets, he also possessed a profound passion for craft design, establishing \"Mon Kobo\" in the 1960s to pursue modern design in everyday vessels. In contrast to the cup body, which features an organic, soft distortion born of hand-molding, the handle is joined with a linear, architectural geometric structure, demonstrating an intellectual form that controls the properties of clay with peak technical mastery. The dark brown iron-painted dotted line pattern running vertically on the front elevates the design into a sophisticated graphic statement reminiscent of Mid-Century Modernism and abstract painting. Furthermore, the circular exposed clay area at the base of the cup can be analyzed as a uniquely conceptual expression by the artist, visually translating the philosophy of holes and windows that permeate spaces—as seen in his representative \"Screen Series\"—into a practical vessel where physical holes cannot be made. The lid of the original wooden box bears the artist's handwritten title \"Kohiki,\" his signature \"Hikaru Zo,\" and a genuine seal verifying its authenticity, completely confirming its reliability as a historical collection. All items offered by our shop, even if new and unused, are from a very old production period and are listed as used. Please be aware that products may have damage due to age, and consider your purchase after understanding and confirming this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eArtist:\u003c\/b\u003e Yamada Hikaru (山田光, 1923–2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"34\"\u003eArtist's Representative Activities:\u003c\/b\u003e [1948] Co-founded the avant-garde ceramic art group \"Sodeisha\" with Yagi Kazuo and Suzuki Osamu, [1962] Established \"Mon Kobo\" to pursue modern design in living spaces, [1970s] Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award (and later the Gold Prize), [1990s] Received the Kyoto Art and Culture Award and recognized as a Kyoto City Person of Cultural Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"421\"\u003eMuseum Collections:\u003c\/b\u003e The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park; Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, and others\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"\u003eCirca:\u003c\/b\u003e Early 1960s (Estimated)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"665\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/b\u003e Very good (no chips, no cracks)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"708\"\u003eAccessories:\u003c\/b\u003e Original wooden box included\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"750\"\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/b\u003e Ceramic (Kohiki, Iron Paint)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"789\"\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/b\u003e Cup: Height approx. 7.5 cm, mouth diameter approx. 6.5 cm \/ Saucer: Height approx. 1.0 cm, diameter approx. 13.0 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"20\"\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"917\"\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e All items offered by our shop, even if new and unused, are from a very old production period and are listed as used. Please be aware that products may have damage due to age, and consider your purchase after understanding and confirming this.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47974191923387,"sku":null,"price":125000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_7995_result.jpg?v=1781794764"},{"product_id":"420","title":"Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Merit Award Recipient, Sodeisha Founder Yamada Hikaru (山田光), White-Glazed Bowl, Ice Bowl #420","description":"\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"1\"\u003eThis white-glazed bowl is created by Yamada Hikaru, a master who founded the avant-garde ceramic group \"Sodeisha\" in 1948 alongside \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E5%85%AB%E6%9C%A8%E4%B8%80%E5%A4%AB%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYagi Kazuo\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/en\/search?q=%22%E9%88%B4%E6%9C%A8%E6%B2%BB%22\u0026amp;type=product\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eSuzuki Osamu\u003c\/a\u003e, overturning the conventional concept of ceramics bound by \"utility\" and establishing a monumental peak in Japanese avant-garde ceramics (objet pottery). While establishing international acclaim for his objet creations as pure sculptural forms, Yamada also founded \"Mon Kobo\" in 1962 with Yagi Kazuo and others, launching practical craft works that fused refined modernist design with artisan craftsmanship. The lid of the included original wooden box (Tomobako) bears the artist's handwritten inscription \"White Glaze Bowl\" (Hakuyu Hachi), and on the bottom of the piece, the stamp \"HiKaru\" (光) indicating an authentic work by Yamada Hikaru can be confirmed. Produced between the 1960s and 1970s—a period when Sodeisha's activities deepened most significantly after the founding of Mon Kobo in 1962—this piece is identified as an outstanding work in which sculptural beauty and practicality harmonize at a high level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"2\"\u003eWhat is most highly acclaimed in Yamada Hikaru's ceramic art is his intellectual structural thinking utilizing geometric plane compositions, openings, and cutouts, as well as the smooth, serene texture of his white glaze. Examining the design of this piece, while the overall silhouette of the vessel assumes a gentle roundness, sharp and precise cutouts are executed along the rim together with regular wavelike curves. These cutouts clearly articulate a Sodeisha aesthetic that deconstructs and reconstructs the boundaries of traditional bowls. The white glaze covering the surface exhibits a moist, matte, milky-white glaze quality, creating extremely delicate shadows on the body depending on how the light falls upon it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"3\"\u003eA particular highlight of this vessel is the relief-like spiral decoration applied to the center of the interior bottom (Mikomi). The subtle concavities and convexities that smoothly swirl from the center impart visual rhythm and dynamism to the quiet white glaze texture. The form, which gracefully tapers toward the foot, and its commanding sense of scale—measuring approximately 9.5 cm in height and approximately 17.0 cm in width—go beyond mere appreciation value as an artwork, perfectly fulfilling the function of an exceptionally high-quality ice bowl in modern dining and contemporary spaces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-path-to-node=\"4\"\u003eFilled with large ice blocks and arranged with bottles of aged amber vintage sake, vintage whisky, or chilled Japanese sake, the glitter and chill of the ice reflect beautifully on the spiral decoration of the interior bottom, drawing a magnificent contrast with the serene white-glazed body. As a precious authentic work by one of the most important artists in the history of Japanese ceramics, whose works are housed in the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, we propose this piece not only as a tea utensil or ice bowl, but also as a supreme liquor vessel and craft work where one can experience sculptural beauty as modern art with all five senses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"5\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist: \u003c\/strong\u003eYamada Hikaru (山田光, 1923-2001)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"6\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRepresentative Career Highlights:\u003c\/strong\u003e [1948] Founded the avant-garde ceramic art group \"Sodeisha\" alongside Yagi Kazuo, Suzuki Osamu, and others; [1962] Established \"Mon Kobo\" to pursue modern design in living spaces; [1970s] Received the Japan Ceramic Society Award (later also received the Gold Prize); [1990s] Received the Kyoto Art and Culture Award, and was honored as a Person of Cultural Merit by Kyoto City.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"7\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublic Collections:\u003c\/strong\u003e The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; The Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Shigaraki (Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park); Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, etc.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction Period: \u003c\/strong\u003e1960s-1970s (Estimated)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"9\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eItem Condition: \u003c\/strong\u003eVery Good (No chips, no cracks)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"10\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAccessories: \u003c\/strong\u003eDedicated original wooden box (Tomobako) included\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"11\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial: \u003c\/strong\u003eCeramics (White glaze)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"12\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003eHeight approx. 9.5 cm, Width approx. 17.0 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-path-to-node=\"13\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: \u003c\/strong\u003eEven if the products provided by our shop are unused, they were produced a very long time ago and are all listed as pre-owned items. Please understand and confirm that the item may have age-related wear before considering your purchase.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Antique Liquor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48332184682683,"sku":null,"price":60000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0652\/0510\/8923\/files\/IMG_3059_result.jpg?v=1789969799"}],"url":"https:\/\/antiqueliquor1926.com\/en\/collections\/maker-yamada-hikaru.oembed","provider":"Antique Liquor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}