The surface of this unprecedented large Tsubo by Fukami Fuminori is covered almost entirely with energetic drawing, transforming the ceramic body into a continuous pictorial field titled Yahichide Manga Oribe Tsubo and enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It exemplifies the artist’s bold reinterpretation of traditional Mino ceramic aesthetics through a contemporary graphic sensibility. The vessel possesses a powerful, rounded body that rises into a dramatically distorted, irregularly folded mouth, a form reminiscent of the deliberately eccentric silhouettes historically associated with Oribe ware. Executed on a warm, buff-toned clay body beneath a transparent glaze, the decoration unfolds as a lively collage of imagery inspired by ukiyo-e prints, Edo-period illustrated books, and modern manga visual language—a fusion that defines Fukami’s distinctive concept of Manga Oribe. Vignettes framed within circular and geometric reserves depict expressive figures: a fierce kabuki-style warrior mid-gesture, sensuous courtesans rendered with exaggerated elegance, and other theatrical characters whose stylized features echo the dynamic line work of woodblock prints. These narrative elements are interwoven with a dense network of abstract marks—spirals, stars, geometric forms, botanical motifs, and splashes of color—creating a surface that feels simultaneously spontaneous and carefully orchestrated. Viewed in the round, the vase becomes a panoramic narrative environment—an exuberant synthesis of ceramic tradition, pop-cultural imagery, and painterly improvisation. Both sculptural and pictorial in impact, the work demonstrates Fukami’s ability to transform the vessel into a canvas for storytelling while maintaining a strong ceramic presence. It is 38.5 cm (15-1/4 inches) diameter, 40 cm (16 inches) tall and is in excellent condition. With its size this is a museum-quality example of Fukami Fuminori’s Manga Oribe series, where historic Japanese visual culture and contemporary artistic expression meet on the dynamic surface of clay.
Due to size the cost of shipping will be accrued separately.
Fukami Fuminori was born in 1980 in Seto, Aichi Prefecture, one of Japan’s historic centers of ceramic production. He graduated from the Seto Ceramic Training School in 2000 and the following year began a four-year apprenticeship under the potter Kishimoto Kennin. He established himself as an independent artist in Seto in 2005. Originally he began copying imagery from Hokusai’s Manga sketchbooks onto ceramic vessels, which led him to experiment with images from other ukiyo-e artists such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi. As he continued painting, he gradually incorporated imagery reflecting his own designs and contemporary cultural influences, leading to the distinctive visual language seen in his work today. Known for bold and innovative designs, Fukami creates works that are both unconventional and singular. The terms Manga Oribe and Shunga Oribe are expressions coined by the artist himself. Because vessels, tea utensils, and flower vases are curved surfaces, accurately depicting the human figure can be difficult; however, Fukami considers this distortion to be part of the charm and expressive potential of the medium. He continues to search for imagery that harmonizes with the clay body and the form of each piece. While his works titled Manga Oribe have attracted particular attention, he has also produced notable pieces in traditional Mino styles such as Kiseto and Shino. He received the Chairman’s Prize at the Seto City Art Exhibition and has been selected for both the Tokai Dento Kogeiten Traditional Crafts Exhibition and the Gendai Shato Ten National Contemporary Tea Ceramics Exhibition.
