ISEZAKI Jun

Jun Isezaki is one of the most influential figures in contemporary Bizen ware and was designated a Living National Treasure in 2004 for his lifelong commitment to the renewal of this ancient ceramic tradition. Born into a distinguished family of potters, Isezaki studied ceramics under his father, Isezaki Yōzan, and alongside his elder brother, Mitsuru. While grounded in lineage, he developed an independent artistic language marked by a rare balance of bold structural clarity and visual lightness.

In 1961, Isezaki played a pivotal role in reviving the anagama (a single-chamber, wood-fired kiln) whose unpredictable ash effects demand both rigorous control and openness to chance. His works embody this duality:  carefully planned, often geometric forms animated by subtle surface variations produced through natural ash firing and the inherent qualities of Bizen clay.

Deeply attentive to soil, form, and color selection, Isezaki draws inspiration from nature and history, viewing his practice as a dialogue between intention and elemental forces. Through this approach, he has forged a new tradition that remains inseparably connected to Bizen’s thousand-year heritage.