Sandblasted Blowfish Tobacco Pipe

The Blowfish is an inherently dynamic shape, particularly within the Japanese school. Having idolized the work of Tokutomi and visited his workshop numerous times, Chinese carver Ping Zhan is as familiar with the form as anyone, his renditions always taking the natural fluidity and dynamism to new heights.

In this offering, Zhan has thrown all the focus into the flowing lines of the piece. When viewed from the side, this aspect is most apparent in the orientation of the characteristic "fins." They're set back just in front of the transition and help emphasize the forward momentum created by the elongated, paneled shank as it tapers toward the bowl. View this piece from an aerial perspective, though, and the shape's movement is even stronger — both the stem and shank exhibit a serpentine curl, mimicking the silhouette's S-curve and giving the impression that this piece really is a fish swimming through water.

The ridgelines are expansive and uninterrupted, defining the form's streamlined sleekness, and in true Zhan fashion, there's a fair share of subtle asymmetry at play: from the kiss of plateau at the shank-end, to the tilted orientation of the stem's saddle, to the left flank, which has been pulled out from the bowl to compensate for the shank's sinuous line. It's a piece whose mix of asymmetry actually provides balance to the form and bespeaks the Chinese carver's creative genius and mastery of the craft.