Black Incense Burner (kōro) is a powerful, abstract form that challenges the conventions of functional ceramic art while simultaneously remaining perfectly suited to its everyday purpose as an incense burner. Rare among Kakurezaki’s works, this piece is a collaboration with Enomoto Katsuhiko (b. 1954), an internationally recognized sculptor from Okayama. While the lid appears metallic at first glance, it is in fact carved from wood by Enomoto, introducing a deliberate material ambiguity that heightens the work’s conceptual tension.
The incense burner’s body is formed from clay traditionally considered unsuitable for Bizen ware. Kakurezaki exploits this limitation by aggressively scraping the surface with a spatula, exposing cross-sections of the clay and increasing the object’s volumetric presence. This process reveals marbled variations within the clay body itself, generating new textures and visual depth as the internal composition is brought to the surface. Deep vertical scoring compresses the rounded form, giving the impression of a bound or constrained mass.
After firing, the surface develops a browned, mineral-rich skin that emphasizes both the clay’s physicality and its structural articulation. The carefully shaped wooden lid by Enomoto introduces a sharply contrasting geometry, reinforcing the dialogue between organic mass and precise intervention. Together, the collaborators produce a compelling example of how to blend traditional Japanese stoneware techniques with a modern, expressive sculptural vision.
