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

A Kokushū Vase (黒銹花瓶)

Showa Era (1926-1989)  

About the work

A striking cylindrical vase by Morino Taimei, one of the most important figures in post-war Japanese ceramics. The elegant vertical form is decorated with bold geometric bands of iron-red clay set against a deep black glaze, creating a dramatic interplay of colour, texture, and movement. The design wraps around the vessel in a rhythmic arrangement of intersecting lines that reflects Morino's distinctive synthesis of sculptural form and abstract design.

The surface displays the artist's celebrated kokushū ("black rust") aesthetic, characterised by a rich matte-black glaze contrasted with exposed iron-rich clay. The elongated cylindrical silhouette provides an ideal canvas for the dynamic composition, while subtle variations in the glaze reveal depth and complexity upon closer examination. The restrained palette and strong architectural presence demonstrate Morino's ability to transform traditional ceramic techniques into a distinctly modern artistic language.

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

Dimensions

17.9cm(h) x 8cm(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.