This is an Irabo kofuku chawan, a small tea bowl, by the potter Kan Matsuzaki (born 1977). The tomobako (the wooden box signed by the artist) bears the ink inscription "Irabo Kofuku Chawan," together with the artist's signature, "Kan," and his red seal. An incised mark cut with a spatula appears beside the foot ring. A shiori (the artist's biographical leaflet) and a wrapping cloth accompany the piece. Our shop proposes this compact tea bowl as a Japanese-style rocks glass for savoring aged spirits and whisky.
Matsuzaki was born in 1977 in Tsukiji, Tokyo, the eldest son of the potter Ken Matsuzaki. His father, Ken Matsuzaki, apprenticed under Tatsuzo Shimaoka before establishing his kiln in Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture, in 1977, and is a member of the Crafts Division of the Kokugakai art association. Kan Matsuzaki moved to the United States in 2000 and graduated from the New England School of Photography in 2006. After returning to Japan, he worked as a freelance photographer, and in 2016 he received the Newcomer's Prize in the Photography Division of the 90th Anniversary Kokuten Exhibition for his work "Michi" (Road). He began making ceramics in 2015 and continues to work alongside his father in Mashiko.
As a potter, he held his first solo exhibition at the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in 2020, followed by solo exhibitions at the Keio Department Store Shinjuku (2022), the Hankyu Umeda Main Store (2023), and the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store (2023). In 2021, he took part in "Magic of the Tea Bowl," an exhibition at Ippodo Gallery in New York that presented tea bowls by eleven contemporary artists. The gallery described his tea bowls as painterly and richly expressive, and also noted his use of thick, contrasting slip. The works he exhibited there included Shino, natural ash glaze, and yohen (kiln-transformed) tea bowls. His solo exhibitions at the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store centered on Shino and Oribe tea bowls, alongside haikaburi (ash-covered) tea bowls, sake vessels, flower vases, and tableware.
This piece is an Irabo tea bowl, a style distinct from those works. Seen from above, the rim forms an irregular shape with rounded corners, and several vertical facets rise along the body to create a polygonal outline. Part of the body is densely incised with fine vertical lines, as if drawn with a comb, while the other facets are smoothed flat. The entire surface has a rough, gritty clay texture with prominent sand grains, and yellowish-green tones run in streaks and patches over the brown ground. Bold, glossy dark brown marks resembling brushstrokes sweep across the body in arcs and hooked shapes. The interior has a rough, dark olive surface scattered with fine grains. The foot ring is carved out, and the area inside the foot ring is also cut away. As the materials used for the decoration, the type of glaze, and the firing method cannot be determined with certainty from external appearance, we refrain from stating them.
The period of production has been estimated from the accompanying leaflet. The final entries in the leaflet are the 2023 solo exhibitions at the Hankyu Umeda Main Store and the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, so the leaflet can be judged to have been produced after that time. As this piece has been passed down together with the leaflet, we estimate that it was made in 2023 or later.
- Artist: Kan Matsuzaki (born 1977)
- Selected Career Highlights: [1977] Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo, the eldest son of the potter Ken Matsuzaki; [2000] Moved to the United States; [2006] Graduated from the New England School of Photography (USA) and began working as a freelance photographer after returning to Japan; [2015] Began making ceramics; [2016] Newcomer's Prize, Photography Division, 90th Anniversary Kokuten Exhibition (work: "Michi"); [2020] First solo exhibition as a potter, Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store; [2021] Exhibited in "Magic of the Tea Bowl," Ippodo Gallery, New York; [2022] Solo exhibition, Keio Department Store Shinjuku; [2023] Solo exhibitions, Hankyu Umeda Main Store and Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store
- Museum Collections: No records of acquisition by public institutions have been confirmed
- Period of Production: 2023 or later (estimated from the contents of the accompanying leaflet)
- Condition: Very good (no chips, no cracks)
- Accessories: Tomobako (wooden box signed by the artist), wrapping cloth, and shiori (biographical leaflet) included
- Material: Stoneware (Irabo)
- Dimensions: Height approx. 7.5–8.0 cm, Rim diameter approx. 8.6–10.2 cm (varies by position due to the irregular form)
- Notice: All items offered by our shop, even those that are new and unused, were produced a very long time ago and are therefore listed as pre-owned. Items may show age-related wear or damage. Please understand this and review the details carefully before deciding to purchase.
