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

Editor: This is a stoneware sake cup, or guinomi, by Nishihata Tadashi, probably made in the late 20th or early 21st century. It's incredibly tactile; the rough, earthy texture juxtaposed with the smoother, glazed top creates a strong visual and physical contrast. How do you read this object? Curator: Well, considering its function as a sake cup, we must consider the cultural context surrounding sake drinking and its rituals. The roughness you noted is no accident; it rejects the hyper-refined aesthetic sometimes associated with traditional crafts. I’d argue Nishihata is deliberately embracing *wabi-sabi*, finding beauty in imperfection and transience. Does the form or materiality perhaps echo pre-industrial modes of being, implicitly critiquing contemporary consumer culture? Editor: That's interesting! So, by embracing imperfections, the artist might be making a subtle statement about rejecting consumerism and idealization? Curator: Precisely! The very act of slowing down to appreciate the nuances of this handmade object can be seen as resistance. Sake, in this context, transcends mere beverage. It's a tool for social cohesion, yet here, individualized in a uniquely textured cup, suggesting a meditation on the self within the collective. What kind of user is implied, in your view? Editor: Someone looking for a deeper, more meaningful experience, maybe even a bit of solitude. This wasn't designed for mass consumption. Curator: Agreed. And through that quiet act of rebellion, it creates its own significance. Editor: I hadn't thought about the implications of "imperfect" craftsmanship in that way. Thanks! Curator: It’s about acknowledging the political weight carried even by simple objects. Food, drink, and communal rituals... they're all interconnected.