Tea bowl (chawan) c. 20th century

This tea bowl was made by Nakamura Okoku, sometime in the late 20th or early 21st century. Look at how the maker coaxes the color into being! It’s all about the alchemy of process. I love the way the glaze pools at the lip, that dark, glossy edge like a secret. Down below, it’s a field of red, not uniform, but mottled like skin, with hints of what lies beneath. The surface has this incredible depth. You can almost feel the heat of the kiln, the artist’s breath as they worked. There's something so elemental about this bowl. It reminds me of a Rothko, or maybe even Cy Twombly, where the material itself seems to be doing the talking, a conversation about chance and intention and the sheer, stubborn beauty of imperfection. It reminds us that art isn't about answers; it's about questions.