Mochizuki Shū was born in Tokyo and studied ceramics at the Tokyo University of Fine Arts. A Tokyo native, he also built his first kiln there. His signature ceramic works are decorated with red paintings called akae, one of the traditional under-glaze painting techniques used in Japanese pottery. Wares with this warm red color, first discovered in the town of Arita in the 17th century, has long been adored by ceramic collectors and connoisseurs. The artist adds to this traditional red hue by using more brick reds in order to depict seasonal flowers by highlighting their freshness. On its milky white surface, the glaze holds characteristic feldspar spots achieved by the miraculous firing process in the kiln. The clay, made from the artist’s original recipe, peeks through the glaze, giving the vessels a lively, organic, and earthly aesthetic.
Mochizuki has held solo exhibitions at many galleries, including at the Tokyo Mitsukoshi Department Gallery. His Flattened Vase with Lotus Flowers is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Art and Design, New York.