Ice Crackle Patterned Vase

There is a dignified sense of calm tension in this “Ice Crackle Patterned Vase,” a creation of Takeshi Imaizumi, an artist who specializes in Tenmoku (black glazed tea bowls) and celadon ware. The thickly applied glaze shows through the smooth black clay, giving the piece a refined, glossy light black color. The delicate layers of intricate kan-nyu (crackle) give the piece a sense of infinite depth, so absorbing that I feel almost pulled in by its appearance. As the name “Ice Crackle Pattern” implies, the work presents a tranquil world of colorless colors, as if it has trapped a moment of ice cracking.

The aesthetic sense of celadon ware has certainly become more diverse over its long history. During the pursuit of the ultimate blue, a variety of colors were brought into being. It is no exaggeration to say that kan-nyu has become a recognized form of decorative expression, and one where the artist’s individuality is most evident, from the finest to the boldest of kan-nyu.

This work is one of those that suggests the possibility of diverse expressions. We cannot help but look forward to the future evolution of Takeshi’s work.