Bowl 1840

This is a ceramic bowl created by Toyosuke IV. You can immediately see how the material influences the form. The bowl's octagonal shape is relatively easy to achieve in clay because it can be pressed into a mold, or built from slabs. The rough texture and subdued color further emphasize the clay's natural qualities. We see the marks of the maker's process, bearing witness to its construction. Notice the indentations around the rim, each carefully placed. This is evidence of the hand, and of the maker’s engagement with the material. Bowls like this one, though functional, were elevated to the level of fine art through the labor and skill involved in their making, defying easy categorization. It sits at the intersection of craft, design, and materiality, challenging traditional distinctions between high art and craft.