Vase

With Hamada Shōji and Yanagi Sōetsu, Kawai Kanjirō was one of the progenitors of the mingei (folk art) movement in Japan in the 1930s. A supremely skilled and inventive potter whose work was widely admired, Kawai eschewed fame and even rejected the designation as a Living National Treasure. This small vase demonstrates his sculptural approach to form with its small foot, faceted ovoid body, and flaring, angular neck. He further accentuated the contemporary nature of the work by applying colored glazes in a seemingly random splashed manner.