– By Eriko Yura (由良えりこ), contemporary Japanese ceramic artist exploring the boundary between vessel and sculpture – Organic, flowing form with a bold circular aperture — an abstract composition that shifts in character from every angle – Mottled lavender-blue glaze with hand-drawn iron-oxide circles and pools of pale celadon green, evoking moons adrift in a night sky Summary: A hand-built sculptural ceramic object by Japanese artist Eriko Yura, composed of a flowing, biomorphic form anchored by a large circular opening that pierces the body like a window or a planetary ring. The surface is glazed in a dreamy, mottled palette of lavender-blue and milky white, scattered with freehand circle motifs in dark iron oxide, many filled with soft pools of celadon green. The piece occupies the fertile space between vessel and pure sculpture — it possesses an open interior, yet its true purpose is contemplative and decorative. For collectors of contemporary Japanese studio ceramics, Yura's work represents the bold, expressive end of a tradition that has always valued the art object as much as the functional pot. What holds the eye first is the form. A curved body — open at the top, with gently undulating walls — extends into a wide, disc-like element pierced by a clean circular hole. The silhouette is continuously surprising: from one angle it suggests an abstract fish; from another, a loop of ribbon frozen mid-twist; from a third, something almost calligraphic, as though a single brushstroke has been rendered in three dimensions. There is no "front" or "back" — the piece invites rotation, rewards slow looking, and changes personality with each new vantage point. The surface decoration amplifies this sense of quiet wonder. Circles of varying size are drawn freehand across the exterior in thin iron-oxide lines, and within many of them the glaze collects in distinct pools of celadon green or pale aqua, standing apart from the surrounding blue. The effect is atmospheric and cosmic — celestial bodies suspended in a hazy, speckled expanse. Some circles are fully enclosed; others are only arcs, half-moons that trail off the edge of a curve. The irregularity is clearly intentional, lending the composition a sense of spontaneity. The mottled blue ground is itself richly layered. It varies from deep cobalt in recesses to a washed, near-lilac tone on higher surfaces, with tiny white eruptions and fine scratched lines that add geological depth. Small dark iron spots scatter throughout like distant stars. The overall palette sits in a cool, contemplative register — blues, blue-greys, and soft greens — that reads as both modern and deeply rooted in East Asian ceramic tradition. The interior is finished in a simple off-white glaze with scattered dark specks, a calm, neutral contrast to the painterly exterior. This quiet inside space, glimpsed through the open top, adds another layer of visual interplay between inner and outer surfaces. Yura's construction method — slab-building and hand-shaping rather than wheel-throwing — is essential to the piece's character. The walls carry the soft irregularity of clay shaped by hand: gentle curves rather than mechanical precision, a rim that rises and dips with organic confidence. The circular aperture is cut cleanly but sits within the flowing form with the inevitability of a natural opening — a rock pool, a hollow in driftwood, a gap in cloud. In a European interior, this piece functions as a standalone sculpture. Placed on a shelf, a console table, a mantelpiece, or within a curated display of studio ceramics, it introduces a note of quiet drama. The cool blue palette pairs naturally with pale wood, linen, concrete, and white plaster, while the circular motifs echo the forms of modernist graphic design. It is the kind of object that draws a guest across the room for a closer look — and then holds them there. The piece appears to be in excellent condition with no chips or cracks. All textural variation and surface irregularities are intentional characteristics of Yura's handmade process. A poetic, self-assured work of contemporary ceramic sculpture — intimate in scale, expansive in imagination. Shipping & Handling We ship worldwide via DHL or EMS with full insurance and tracking. Professional packing ensures safe arrival; combined shipping available for multiple wins. Local customs duties are the buyer's responsibility. Seller Guarantee We specialise in authentic Japanese ceramics and guarantee this piece's authenticity. Questions welcome – we reply within 24 hours.