Platinum Lotus Openwork Dessert Plate

Taketoshi Ito’s Platinum Lotus Openwork Dessert Plate evokes the serene image of lotus blossoms gently spreading across the surface of still water. Its openwork pattern, both meticulously ordered and organically flowing, creates delicate layers of light and shadow, lending the plate remarkable depth and an expressive presence.

Taketoshi is a ceramic artist renowned for his distinctive sukashi-bori openwork technique, in which intricate patterns are carved into porcelain, allowing light to animate the delicate openwork. Inspired by the intricate ornamentation of Venetian architecture, his signature style emerged through nearly a decade of experimentation following his emergence as an independent artist. He works with porcelain clay for its exceptional strength, which allows it to withstand highly intricate carving while maintaining crisp, refined edges. Each piece is first carefully thrown on the potter’s wheel before he determines the precise stage of drying at which the porcelain can be carved. The intricate patterns are then swiftly cut by hand, a process that demands both technical mastery and an intimate understanding of the material. The platinum finish, applied in the final stage, lends the surface a subdued metallic luster and contemporary elegance, further enhancing the work’s sculptural presence.

Within its architectural composition resides the gentle vitality of plant life. Through the harmonious interplay of ceramics and architecture, light and shadow, the work beautifully embodies Taketoshi’s distinctive aesthetic.