White porcelain bowl by Yoshinoro Ohno

Japan, contemporary

Height: 3 3/8 inches, 8.5 cm

Diameter: 5 1/4 inches, 13.5 cm

A porcelain bowl, the straight sides rising from a small foot. The sides are carved with a continuous pattern of lozenges, all of which have a concave centre. The delicately potted bowl is completely covered inside and out in a pure white glaze. The bowl is preserved in its original tomobako or wooden box. The top is inscribed Seihakuji chawan (Pure white porcelain, a bowl) and the back Yoshinori saku (Made by Yoshinori).

Yoshinoro Ohno was born in 1978 in Fukuoka Prefecture and established his studio in Tsukuba, Ibaraki in 2004. He studied pottery under Ito Motohiko (born in 1939), who was also originally from the same town of Fukuoka. In 2012, he was invited to exhibit at the Vallauris International Biennale, which was held at the Picasso Museum, Vallauris, France. The artist creates white porcelain filled with numerous thoughts; he made a series of works based on the form of diamonds, of which the present bowl is a fine example. Yoshinori Ohno is a dreamer, a purist, and at the same time, a philosopher. Ohno’s vessel forms are manifestations of life itself.