This ceramic sculpture by Shunichi Yabe exemplifies his approach to ceramics as carved sculpture rather than functional vessel. Working with iron-rich Bizen clay, Yabe begins with a solid mass and gradually cuts, slices, and planes the form by hand, treating clay as a material to be excavated rather than shaped around an interior. Sharp edges and intersecting planes emerge through deliberate carving, creating tension between weight and balance while revealing the internal structure of the piece.
The elongated form appears both grounded and in motion, its angled rim and faceted surfaces directing the eye across the sculpture. During firing, the natural qualities of Bizen clay (iron content, heat, and atmosphere) produce subtle gradations of dark gray, brown, and rust-red tones that register the intensity of the process. Light moves across the planes, activating the surface and emphasizing the relationship between mass and void. Through carving space as much as shaping clay, Yabe transforms traditional ceramic material into a distinctly contemporary sculptural presence.
Exhibitions
Carving Space, The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo, Japan
