Nagakusa Yohei explores the fluid movement of glaze across a carefully structured form of this porcelain teapot enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ryūsai-ji Pot (“Flowing Glaze Porcelain Pot”). The vertical fluting on the gently faceted body provides both visual rhythm and a subtle guide for the movement of color during firing. Layers of translucent glaze descend from the pale, luminous rim into deepening shades of blue-gray, gathering and flowing along the carved ridges like liquid light drawn downward by gravity and heat. The resulting gradients evoke the quiet transitions of water and atmosphere, mist dissolving into shadow, or the fading glow of twilight. Balanced by a slender spout, elegant looping handle, and delicately pointed lid finial, the pot achieves a harmony between disciplined porcelain craftsmanship and the unpredictable beauty of flowing glaze. The piece measures approximately 9.5 x 16.5 x 12 cm (3-3/4 x 6-1/2 x 4-3/4 inches) and is in excellent condition, directly from the artist.
Nagakusa Yohei was born in Aichi prefecture in 1986. He studied Mechanical Engineering and design in University, and worked for several years in that field before turning to ceramics. He graduated from the Tajimi Ceramics Research Facility in 2014, and was awarded that same year special prize at the Mino Ceramic Art Exhibition as well as being first accepted into the Nihon Dento Kogeiten (National Traditional Crafts Exhibition). He states “Glaze, light, and color are central themes in my work. For this exhibition, I have focused primarily on my ryūsai pieces, which I have been making for the longest time. In ryūsai, several types of fluid glazes are applied separately. During firing, the glazes flow and melt into one another, forming gradients of color. While I control the flow to a certain extent, the final result is entrusted to the firing process, and it is precisely this balance of difficulty and appeal that draws me to the technique. Another element I value deeply is form. I study time-honored shapes and continue to pursue forms that allow both beauty of proportion and the natural movement of glaze to be fully expressed”.
