Kudo Mahito (工藤真人), Japanese (b. 1958)

A Ceramic Tea Bowl 

Showa Era (1926-1989), Heisei Era (1989-2019) or Reiwa Era (2019-present) 

About the work

This tea bowl by Kudo Mahito features a gently flared, inviting form enriched by a glaze surface that moves between subtlety and dramatic expression. The pale, softly speckled clay body is marked by flowing concentrations of darker molten glaze, creating organic patterns that appear spontaneous yet visually balanced. Warm chestnut tones and fine iron spotting add depth, while the slightly uneven rim imparts a natural hand-shaped presence. Inside, the glaze settles into a smooth, receptive basin suited for tea. 

The bowl is presented with its original signed tomobako and cloth.

Dimensions

6.6cm(h) x 14.2cm(w) x 14.5cm(d)

Footnote

Kudo Mahito was born in 1958 in Akasaka, Tokyo, and raised in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district. He left Waseda University in 1980 to begin ceramic training in Tokoname, one of Japan’s principal pottery centers. In 1984 he broadened his perspective through craft research in Spain, Iran, and India. He established his own kiln in Ajigaura, Ibaraki, in 1987 and soon began exhibiting independently. His first solo exhibition took place in 1988 at Masudaya in Shinjuku. Kudo is known for an exploratory approach to materials and glaze, producing works that combine technical curiosity with a distinctive, expressive surface aesthetic.