Sake cup (guinomi) late 20th - early 21st century

Editor: So, here we have a Sake cup, also known as guinomi, crafted from stoneware sometime between the late 20th and early 21st century by Kaneta Masanao. It’s deceptively simple, yet incredibly tactile. How would you interpret its cultural significance, beyond just being a vessel for sake? Curator: The beauty of this seemingly simple cup lies in its complex dialogue with Japanese aesthetics and craft traditions, intertwined with socio-political implications. We have to understand how, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, artists were grappling with modernization, globalization, and the preservation of cultural identity. This cup, on one hand, acknowledges the wabi-sabi aesthetic: embracing imperfection, transience, and simplicity. But, isn’t there something about its asymmetry, this defiance of perfect form, that also hints at a quiet resistance against rigid social expectations? Editor: Resistance? In a sake cup? Curator: Think about it: the tea ceremony, and by extension sake consumption, is steeped in ritual, hierarchy, and performative gestures. By creating a cup that subtly subverts the expected form, is Kaneta perhaps questioning those structures? Moreover, his choice of stoneware – a humble material – can also be seen as a statement against the excessive consumerism prevalent at the time. What do you think about that? Editor: I guess I hadn't considered how a functional object could carry so much layered meaning! So, it's not just about drinking sake, but also about subtly challenging norms through everyday objects. Curator: Exactly. And that's where the power of art resides: in its ability to spark dialogue, to question, and to resist, even in the most unassuming forms. It's a constant negotiation between tradition and the contemporary world, reflecting the ongoing socio-political currents. Editor: This has completely changed how I see everyday objects! Thanks for pointing out all of the hidden layers behind the stoneware cup. Curator: It's my pleasure. Keep questioning the status quo.