BLUE AND WHITE OHI CEREMONIAL VESSEL “SONSU 01″, 2021, stoneware, h. 8 1/2 x w. 13 1/2 x d. 6 1/4 in., (21.6 x 34.4 x 15.8 cm)
From 3 July to 31 August, Onishi Gallery is pleased to present, The History of Ohi Ware: Ohi Chozaemon XI, featuring works from the 11th generation head of the iconic pottery ware family based in Kanazawa. Steeped in rich history and tradition, Chozaemon XI uses the generational knowledge passed on by his ancestors to elevate Ohi ware to a contemporary realm.
In 1666, Lord Maeda Tsunanori of the Maeda clan requested Senso Soshitsu, the fourth-generation Urasenke tea master to teach him the art of tea ceremony in the Kaga Domain. Ohi Chozaemon accompanied Senso on this assignment and started producing tea bowls with clay sourced from Ohi, an area outside of Kanazawa.
Ohi Chozaemon I was a direct descendant of the master potter Raku Chojiuro. Combining his learned Raku techniques with the tutelage of Senso Soshitsu, Ohi established a unique kiln of Raku tradition that was unprecedented in Kanawawa at the time.