This masterpiece was released as a special selection of "Sanpai" (Three Sake Cups) by three contemporary ceramic artists representing Japan. It brings together the works of Miyanaga Rikichi, Yanagihara Mutsuo, and Morino Taimei—masters who led the golden age of "Sodeisha," the legendary avant-garde art group that rejected the concept of practical vessels and elevated ceramics into the realm of pure contemporary art known as "Objets-yaki" (sculptural ceramics). Among these three pieces, the work by Morino Taimei, a Person of Cultural Merit and a member of the Japan Art Academy, is crafted from hand-blown glass, which is extremely unusual for a ceramic artist. This highly rare and precious piece symbolizes Sodeisha's core philosophy of "liberating art from the preconceived notions of materials." You can fully appreciate the wondrous paradox where the avant-garde aesthetic of dismantling and reconstructing tradition is confined within the miniature frame of a palm-sized sake cup. When savoring a precious Japanese whiskey, why not enjoy it from a glass born of the same homeland where their passion still breathes?
- Artists: Miyanaga Rikichi, Yanagihara Mutsuo, Morino Taimei
- Era of Production: 1980s–1990s
- Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Original box included
- Material: Ceramic, hand-blown glass
- Dimensions: Height approx. 6.5 cm, diameter approx. 5.5 cm each
- Note: Even if the products we offer are new and unused, they are all listed as second-hand products because they were produced very long ago. Please note that the products may have damage due to aging, so please understand and check before considering purchasing.
- About the Artists: As follows
Miyanaga Rikichi (1935–2017) He began studying sculpture at the Kyoto City University of Arts in 1954 under Shindo Tsuji and Masakazu Horiuchi, before dropping out of the postgraduate course in 1960 to travel to the United States. There, he engaged with Peter Voulkos and others. After returning to Japan, he garnered attention as a sculptor through exhibitions such as the "Trends in Contemporary Art" exhibition and became a member of the Sodeisha group in 1971. While possessing a background in the highest traditions of celadon techniques from the prestigious "Miyanaga Tozan" lineage, he developed organic and sculptural avant-garde forms that eliminated utility. By expressing the inherent vitality and tension of clay as a raw material, he powerfully embodied Sodeisha's vision of "breaking away from the beauty of utility." He received the Kyoto Prefecture Order of Cultural Merit in 1998 and inherited the title of Miyanaga Tozan III in 1999.
Yanagihara Mutsuo (Born 1934) A ceramic artist from Kochi Prefecture, he studied at the Kyoto City University of Arts and studied under Kenkichi Tomimoto. He joined Sodeisha in 1958. In contrast to the avant-garde ceramics of the time, which tended to favor stoic, monochrome tones, he injected brilliant color expressions using gold and silver luster glazes and vivid primary colors. Through his experience living in the United States, he pursued a sculptural beauty endowed with an international sensibility, opening up a new horizon of the "liberation of color" for Sodeisha's avant-garde objects. He is one of the leading figures representing contemporary ceramics. Professor Emeritus at Osaka University of Arts.
Morino Taimei (Born 1934) A ceramic artist born in Kyoto. Born to the master craftsman Yoshimitsu Morino, he graduated from the Kyoto City University of Arts and subsequently released numerous works that fused tradition with modernity. He joined Sodeisha in 1957. Since the 1980s, he has participated in both domestic and international exhibitions, receiving high acclaim for his avant-garde forms and glaze expressions. Excelling in sharp, architectural geometric compositions—as symbolized by this hand-blown glass piece—he transcended the very boundaries of clay as a material. Through a supreme conceptual expression that controlled the fluidity of fire and material, as well as the transmission of light and space, he embodied the pinnacle of the unique sculptural philosophy that Sodeisha aspired to achieve. He is a Person of Cultural Merit, a member of the Japan Art Academy, and one of the supreme titans of contemporary Japanese ceramics.
