A striking sculptural futamono (covered vessel) by Mukai Naoko, titled Kōshō (“Red Reef”). The work takes the form of a fantastical coral-like organism, its body swelling outward into multiple horned protrusions that radiate from a dense central mass. Across the entire surface Mukai has meticulously incised thousands of minute, rhythmic marks that spread in concentric patterns, evoking the growth structures of coral polyps or fossilized marine colonies. The vivid red ground is punctuated by darker accents and pale banding around the horned projections, creating a dynamic interplay of color and texture that suggests both natural accretion and geological time. At the center of the form an opening is sealed by a small stone-like lid, reinforcing the dual identity of the piece as both container and sculptural object. Balancing meticulous surface labor with an exuberantly organic silhouette, the vessel appears almost alive—part reef fragment, part imagined lifeform emerging from the sea. The work measures approximately 25 cm (9.8 inches) long, 21.5 cm (8.5 inches) wide, and 16.3 cm (6.4 inches) high, and is in excellent condition, acquired directly from the artist.
Mukai Naoko was born in Tokyo in 1999, and graduated from Musashino Art University in 2023 with a degree in Crafts and Industrial Design, specializing in ceramics, and completed the Tajimi City Pottery Design and Technical Center in 2025. Representing a new generation of ceramic artists, her work has already been presented internationally and domestically, including Talking Flowers at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague (2022), ishoken: A New Wind at Nihombashi Takashimaya (Tokyo, 2024), and Alluring Forms at Gallery Voice (Tajimi, 2025). In 2025, she was selected for the 6th Kanazawa World Crafts Triennale at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, marking her emergence onto a broader contemporary craft stage.
