Morino Taimei (森野泰明), Japanese, b. 1934

A Vase titled “Cloud Blue” (雲藍花瓶)

Heisei Era (1989-2019) 

About the work

A striking ceramic vase titled Unran (雲藍, “Cloud Blue”) by the distinguished Kyoto ceramic artist Morino Taimei. The vessel presents a simple cylindrical form that serves as a canvas for the artist’s sophisticated exploration of colour and surface. The body is covered in a velvety blue glaze of remarkable depth, interrupted by a dramatic band of metallic bronze and dark mottled effects that cascade across the shoulder and descend vertically down the vessel.

The contrast between the matte blue ground and the textured metallic glaze creates a powerful visual tension, evoking the movement of clouds drifting across an expansive sky. The restrained form and carefully controlled glazing reflect Morino’s longstanding interest in abstraction and contemporary ceramic expression, while retaining the refinement and balance associated with Kyoto ceramic traditions.

The vase demonstrates the artist’s mastery of kiln effects and glaze chemistry, transforming a seemingly simple form into a highly sculptural object. Equally effective as a flower vessel or as a standalone work of art, it embodies the synthesis of traditional craftsmanship and modern artistic vision that characterises Morino’s oeuvre.

The vase is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako) and cloth.

Dimensions

16.6cm(h) x 9.2cm(w)

Footnote

Morino Taimei (森野泰明, born 1934) is one of Japan’s most celebrated contemporary ceramic artists and the son of renowned Kyoto potter Morino Kakō (森野嘉光). A graduate of Kyoto City University of Arts, he first gained national recognition through the Nitten Exhibition, receiving the prestigious Hokuto Prize in 1960. From 1962 he lectured in ceramics at the University of Chicago, helping introduce modern Japanese ceramics to international audiences. His distinguished career includes the Minister for Foreign Affairs Award (1968), the Minister of Education Award (1983), the Kyoto Prefectural Culture Prize (1996), designation as a Person of Cultural Merit (2021), and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon (2019). In 2007 he received the Japan Art Academy Prize, and in 2010 became a member of the Japan Art Academy while also receiving the Gold Prize of the Japan Ceramic Society.