Gorge chawan

A ‘chawan’ (茶碗: meaning ‘tea bowl) is a Chinese tea cup used in traditional tea ceremonies. These ‘gorge chawans’ are made using the Japanese ceramic technique of ‘kurunuki’, which involves the cutting and tearing of clay in a manner more akin to carving clay into small unique sculptures. Their colours, shapes and textures are inspired by the gorges and natural rock formations of the Northern Territory. These pieces are fired in a variety of ways, including raku saggar firing. Many of them can are used as everyday cups for tea or coffee, although some of them (due to their means of firing) are for purely decorative purposes.