Ken Matsuzaki (松崎建), Japanese (b. 1950)

A Yohen Shino Hexagonal Bowl (耀変志埜六角鉢)

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

About the work

This Yohen Shino hexagonal bowl by Ken Matsuzaki presents a powerful synthesis of sculptural form and kiln-driven surface expression. The six-sided body is assertively shaped, with subtly uneven planes that catch light differently across each facet. A thick, feldspathic Shino glaze envelopes the surface, pooling and breaking into dramatic crackle and crawling, while areas of yohen firing introduce rich tonal shifts from warm ochre to deep, metallic brown. The interior glows with a lustrous, iron-suffused sheen that contrasts with the creamy exterior. The foot is bearing the artist’s impressed mark. 

The work is accompanied by its original signed wooden box and printed insert.

Dimensions

8.2cm(h) x 23.2cm(w) x 23cm(d)

Footnote

Ken Matsuzaki, born in 1950 in Tokyo, is a renowned ceramic artist trained at Tamagawa University's School of Fine Arts. After apprenticing under Tatsuzo Shimaoka in Mashiko, he established his kiln, Yuushin Gama. Known for blending traditional Shino, Oribe, and yohen glazes with modern aesthetics, his works are celebrated worldwide and included in prestigious collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum.