slab built bonsai pot / suraabu de tsumerareta bonsai hachi (スラーブで積まれた盆栽鉢)
Outside Dimensions Length ≒ 23 cm Width ≒ 16 ½ cm Height ≒ 5 ½ cm
Inside Dimensions Length ≒ 20 cm Width ≒ 14 cm Height ≒ 4 ¼ cm
Clay: Stoneware infused with Manitoulin clay
Fired to Cone 6 / 1222ºC (2232ºF)
The term "nanban," which translates from Japanese as "Barbarian south," originally referred to goods from South Asia, particularly Korea. In Japan, it later evolved to signify anything that arrived from overseas, especially from European countries. Nowadays, it is often associated with jar lids that were initially crafted in Korea as functional items. These pieces attracted Japanese bonsai masters due to their rustic beauty and compatibility with the literati style. To me, nanban embodies "primitive elegance." It reflects a potter’s simple act of marking their creation, cutting it from the wheel, and letting it dry, all while focusing on functionality rather than impressiveness. While my own approach may differ, this sentiment is what I aspire to convey in my work.
