WHITE SLIP-DECORATED STONEWARE VASE

The potter's finger indentations at the base, a diagonal slash in the clay body and his expressively incised trademark signature punctuate encircling bands of white slip on this vase. Koie was born in Aichi Prefecture and his work includes functional pottery such as tea ceramics as well as purely sculptural works. He won the Japan Ceramic Society Prize in 1992 and has a long exhibition history including a 1996 one-man exhibition Ryoji Koie: From the earth, to the earth held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, Japan. His new kiln, built in 2002 in his hometown Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, is named Muteppo gama (Temerity kiln).