Takiguchi Kazuo (滝口和男), Japanese (b. 1953)

A Red Clay Guinomi (ぐい呑) 

1992

About the work

A striking hand-formed guinomi by ceramic artist Takiguchi Kazuo, made during his 1992 residency in the United Kingdom. The vessel features an expressive cylindrical form with soft, uneven walls and a slightly flared, organic lip. Crafted in unglazed red clay, its surface is rich with natural texture, subtle marks, and a deep earthen tone that glows with quiet warmth.

The hand-pinched form speaks to a raw, intentional simplicity: an aesthetic that celebrates imperfection, tactility, and the intimacy of daily use. The artist’s box bears inscriptions verifying its title and year of production, making this piece both a functional object and a record of cross-cultural ceramic practice.

Dimensions

7.7cm(h) x 6.7cm(w) x 6.6cm(d)

Footnote

Born in 1953 in Gojozaka, Kyoto, Takiguchi Kazuo grew up at the heart of Kyoto’s ceramics culture. Though he initially studied under Kiyomizu Rokubei VI and Yagi Kazuo, it was Yagi’s avant-garde and sculptural approach that left a lasting impression. Graduating from the Royal College of Art in London in 1992, Takiguchi has since focused on creating ceramic works rooted in language and individual expression: vessels not only of form, but of thought and emotion.