The teabowl has become an iconic form in contemporary ceramics. Having traveled from Japan, where it was an inherent part of chanoyu,or tea ceremony, it has evolved and adapted to become something very different in the West.
Revered for its associations of its past and its connotations of sophistication and simplicity, the teabowl enjoys an elevated status. Here Bonnie Kemske looks at the form as a whole, considering the history and ideas behind the original tea ceremony — how it moved into contemporary ceramics, and the way it is used today. She explores the wide range of teabowls, from the traditional to those being made not for the tearoom but for the gallery, as well as introducing the international potters making them.
