Medium-sized henko vase in matte black by Terunobu Hirata from 2024.

Part of the "Red Leaf Pale Moon" exhibition at DEA EAST, May 2025.

In Japanese, henko can mean "seeing things in a different light", and this definitely describes the subtle and sensuous way light changes when it falls across this elegant vessel.

It has an elongated, flattened form, giving it a leaf shaped opening and features wide, twisting facets finished in a rich, matte black glaze.

dimensions
height: 18cm
width: 20cm
depth: 9cm
weight: 790g

Nb. this work is handmade and measurements are approximate.

Stoneware vase.
Handmade in Australia.

One of two stunning henko vases from this exhibition.

See all Terunobu's vases, all work from the "Red Leaf Pale Moon" exhibition, as well as our full selection by Terunobu Hirata.

Coming from Osaka, Japan, Terunobu Hirata made Australia his home in 1973 and spent his early years working in Melbourne as a chef. For Hirata, food and pottery have always been entwined, with both disciplines striving to bring artistry and magic to the everyday.

Eventually ceramics won out and he's spent the last 20 years perfecting his making - bringing a chef's precision and flair to objects of beauty, simplicity and utility.

Drawing inspiration from several Japanese traditional styles, such as Bizen-ware and Tamba-ware, his perfectly proportioned shapes, finished in rich, lustrous glazes, make Hirata’s work a joy to hold, to behold and to live with.

Read more about Terunobu Hirata.