Building the Good City

Tea Talk

Tea culture is an integral part of Chinese culture: from the design and function of teapots to the tea ceremony itself, the whole art of tea carries nuances of hospitality and friendship and the very essence of the ‘Tao’. Teapots are not just centerpieces for décor; they are emblems of our humanity and represent our need for connection with the world around us and with one another.

From deconstructing a teapot’s parts to reconfiguring their forms, the young artists in this group show push the boundaries of traditional teapot design. Luan Jiaqi personifies her teapots with human body parts. American artist Dryden Wells redefines the teapot in terms of gestures rather than physicality. Zhao Lantao captures the inspiring beauty of the lotus, another symbol of Chinese culture, in his work.

The opening reception on May 21 will include a traditional tea ceremony, juxtaposing the history of tea with the modern interpretations in the exhibit.

“Tea Talk” will run until June 22. 

茶文化是中国文化中不可或缺的一环，从茶壶的设计制作到茶道表演，茶艺承载着中国人的友好热情，更传承着老庄之道的精髓。茶壶不仅仅是桌上的摆件，更象征着我们的人文精神，代表着我们渴望与他人、与世界相连。

从解构到重组，年轻的艺术家们突破了传统茶壶的设计界限和创作定式。栾佳齐赋予茶壶拟人化的形象，将人体的一部分揉入其中。美国艺术家Dryden Wells打破茶壶的固有形状，用一种动态的方式来呈现他印象中的茶壶。赵兰涛则捕捉到莲花的美态，以夏末的花苞及秋末的莲实为茶壶的主要创作元素。

5月21日的开幕酒会上将有茶艺表演，传统的茶道和现代的诠释将在同一场展览中呈现。

“壶说”展期将到6月22日。

Dryden Wells. A Gesture To.

Shao Changzong. Begin.

Wang Ying. Sacrifice - 1.

Bi Liwei. Image.

 

Dis-Functional craft art

The twocities gallery is proud to present "Foundation: Dis-Functional", a group exhibition featuring Chinese avant-garde craft art. Focusing on the conceptual as opposed to utility, this show features 12 Chinese artists who are on the cutting edge of Chinese contemporary craft art.

“Dis-Functional” follows on the heels of “Functional”, a group show that featured craft art intended for daily use. In “Dis-Functional”, the same age-old techniques and materials are used to create craft work that not only inspires but provokes thoughtfulness. Ceramic artist Wan Liya’s scrolls break up the traditional composition of water and mountains into a composite of images painted onto round plates. Artist Kang Qing’s “Midnight Ballet” installation is both whimsical and critical, taking symbols of pleasure to question the actual meaning of these images and provide commentary on popular culture.

At the opening reception on March 26, an artists’ salon featuring some of the exhibiting artists will run from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. Ceramic artist Chen Guanghui, glass artist Xiao Tai and lacquer artist Jin Hui will present on their work and process, sharing about the role and significance of contemporary craft art in China.

Opening reception: Saturday, March 26, 4:00 to 6:00 pm

 

双城现代手工艺术馆将带来"五元素：非器"，不同于以往的实用性，本次展览旨在推介概念艺术，展出12位中国的前卫手工艺术家的作品。

" 非器"与上一个展览"器"乃一个主题两个方式不同的呈现。在"器"展览中展出的艺术家或设计师们手工制作的可以日用的手工器皿，而"非器"中的作品虽然也 使用相同的材料和工艺，但这些作品完全颠覆了实用性及功能性，通过人们熟悉的材料、器型等进一步挑战及重新审视传统审美及对"器"的定义。陶艺家万里雅 的"山水图"打破了传统水墨卷轴式的呈现方式，将解构的山水画在陶瓷盘上，重构成画卷。康青的"午夜芭蕾"则巧妙地借用具象的符号来质疑当下盛行的享乐主 义文化。

3月26日下午5点到6点的展览开幕式上将有小型的艺术沙龙，部分参展艺术家将出席，陶艺家陈光辉、漆艺家金晖和玻璃艺术家萧泰将就各自的作品和创作方式进行简短的演讲，共同探讨中国当代手工艺术的地位和意义。

开幕酒会：2011年3月26日，周六

下午4点至6点 

Reading roundup: Week ending October 31

Happy Halloween! No costumes or candy in this blog post, but plenty of treats in the form of art tidbits.  From Cai Guo-Qiang's most "explosive" drawings to date to the opening of the Shanghai Biennale, here's a look at some interesting exhibitions happening this month.

Shanghai Biennale in Pictures: The World Expo is (finally) winding down in Shanghai but the Shanghai Biennale is just revving up. Opening last weekend along with a string of satellite openings around town, this is the 8th biennale in this fair city.

18 Gallery: The Wrinkles of the City: One great satellite exhibit is "The Wrinkles of the City" by French artist JR at 18 Gallery. JR, a "photograffeur" (photographer + street artist), has been compared to the famed Banksy and was recently awarded the TED Prize for his "humanitarian art."

Art Radar Journal: Cai Guo-Qiang: Commissioned by the Museum of Fine Art, Houston (MFAH), Cai Guo-Qiang produced "Odyssey", his largest gunpowder drawing to date. The finished piece spans 42 panels totaling 10 by 62 feet.

Ceramic Arts Daily: Editor's Picks: Top 5 ceramic exhibitions and events, as selected by the editor. All are US-based except for one exhibition in Amsterdam. The heavy hitter? SOFA Chicago. A MUST-VISIT if you are gaga for sculptural art.

Bound Editorial: Upon Walking In: Finally, a humorous (but oh-so-accurate) first person account of boozing and schmoozing at an art opening. By the way, Bound Editorial is a great Chinese art blog. Bookmark this site for fun and informative articles about the art scene in Shanghai.

Reading roundup: Week of August 30

This week's reading roundup is a visual feast - links and articles containing loads of images. Happy reading and viewing!

NPR: On Philadelphia's Walls, Murals Painted With Brotherly Love: With more than 3,000 murals scattered throughout the city, Philadelphia is transforming walls into public art to help bring about urban renewal and healing.

Gardiner Museum: Private Pleasures: Two weeks left in this exquisite exhibition of fine Japanese porcelain from the Edo period. The Gardiner Museum is the only museum in Canada solely dedicated to ceramic art.

Arts Journal: Ophelia - 6 Alternatives to Drowning: O Ophelia, what if thou hadn't died so tragically and poetically? Alternatives to drowning, rendered by various artists.

Museum of Glass: Richard Craig Meitner: "Magic," says Meitner, "is a moment in which something happens that does not fit into your belief system." Beautifully crafted with whimsy and wonder, Meitner's works of glass art explore room for the fantastical.

Wall Street Journal: Chopin's Small Miracles: This article contains images for the ears. Pianist and author David Dubal describes the brevity and beauty of Chopin's Preludes

In Focus: Zhang Jingjing

 

The lines of Zhang Jingjing's ceramic pieces rise and fall with quiet elegance. Her Arc series is abstract, emphasizing the simplicity and beauty of form in basic black and white. There is a gentle rhythm to her work - a harmonic cadence in clay, if you will. Her pieces sit confidently with seemingly effortless ease.

About her work, Zhang Jingjing states, "The Arc Series is inspired by the curve of water. Water is the symbol of harmony and also the smoothest object. Curve represents elegance and power. When pursuing the beauty of curve, I put more emphasis on the power of intersection and border, and the space built by curve and turning surface."

Zhang Jingjing is a young artist, based in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province where she received both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute. She then went on to further studies in Australia and returned to China to forge her niche in the Chinese contemporary ceramic scene.

She joins fellow ceramic divas Kang Qing and Xie Mingjuan in their first joint exhibition, "Three Ceramic Sisters" at Duolun Museum of Modern Art, opening this Sunday. Reception starts at 6:00 pm, with all three artists present.

Reading roundup

A roundup of articles recently posted online from the world of art and craft. Happy reading!

In Memoriam: Thomas Buechner: Tribute to Thomas Buechner, the founding director of the Corning Museum of Glass and former director of the Brooklyn Museum, who passed away at the age of 83. He was also an accomplished painter and writer whose impact on the art world, particularly in raising the profile of glass art, will not be forgotten. His obituary in the New York Times can be found here.

Global Frameworks: Art Fair Musical Chairs: The Economist looks at the proliferation of international art fairs and the globalisation of art. Abu Dhabi, anyone?

ARTnews: Rebound and Top Ten Collectors: In brief, the art market is seeing a robust rebound, all eyes are on China, and at the end of the day, collectors buy what they love.

When Discourse Has the Upper Hand Over Art: Speaking of collectors, this New York Times article examines the current trend of a more conceptual approach towards buying art. It's not just about looking good.

Multiplicity in Picasso's Ceramics: During the last 25 years of his life, Picasso devoted a great part of his efforts to creating ceramic pieces. Ceramics: Art and Perception discusses his styles, techniques, and commitment to producing numerous editions of his work.

Element of Surprise

Ceramic artist Jackson Li creates diverse yet easily recognized work. With even just a swift look around his exhibit, one can instantly distinguish Li's unique aesthetic signature despite his spectrum of style. At his Sanbao Studio in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, Jackson creates from masculine and feminine inspirations alike, one moment shaping muddy bowls and the next painting silver peonies. 

One of the joys in getting to know a Jackson Li piece is discovering surprises in the details. For example, as you finish the last drop of green tea from one of his tea cups, you will discover a sparkling pool of crackled glass peering at you from the cup's bottom--something like a puddle after a crystal rain. The magical pond comes from tipping glass over the silica glaze (another glass material) that coats the clay. The cup bakes for 12 hours in a reduction-based kiln heated between 1300-1320 degrees C, or nearly 2500 degrees F. A reduction-based firing, unlike the oxidation-based firings native to northern China, sucks oxygen out of a substance. That's why a piece painted with an iron glaze goes in green and comes out red. Firing techniques vary just like the materials used.

A cup created in fine technique is a masterful work of art, but the glass flourish at the bottom, at first unnoticed, shows a commitment to beauty when least expected.

Brief Intro to 'China'

As a child, I remember my mother telling me to set the table with the good china when dinner guests were expected. I remember walking slowly to the table, gripping the smooth, cold dish firmly for fear of dropping it. I remember the delicate designs painted on the surprisingly durable material. I remember wondering, "Why do they call it 'china', anyway?"

China, the nice porcelain plates, bowls, and serving dishes many families dine on, serves as a good example of how the Chinese cleverly let the Europeans do their own marketing for them. Though most renowned and recognized for calligraphy, the Chinese maintained a monopoly on porcelain techniques for over a thousand years. Europeans began importing porcelain which the people loved and prized. Porcelain became a sought-after luxury and during the 18th century Europeans began concocting their own porcelain recipes. Authentic china or porcelain is made from a mixture of quartz, kaolin and feldspar. The British version, known as bone china, is made by adding (yes, you guessed it), bone ash, a powder left after burning bones.

Both bone china and chinaware undergo two firings: the first at a low or “biscuit-fired” oven to harden the clay, and again in a scorching oven. The second firing coats a translucent glaze over the dull, opaque surface. Unlike earthenware or stoneware, porcelain possesses greater strength, delicacy and translucence.

 

(image: plates by Derek Au)

In Focus: Chen Jiu and Jackson Li

At first glance, Chen Jiu and Jackson Li appear to be a Chinese version of "The Odd Couple": Chen Jiu is gentle and easygoing, often robed in flowing white clothes and quoting verses from theater and poetry; Jackson is focused and energetic, dressed in earthy tones and spouting words and ideas at a hundred miles per minute. Chen Jiu's ink wash paintings are lyrical, capturing scenes from theater and literature with grace and whimsy. Jackson's ceramic styles range from the delicate and refined nature of his "New Imperial" porcelain vessels to his rough and robust "New Mingei" cups and bowls. Both artists share a deep reverence for tradition and a passion for celebrating and promoting the heart and heritage of China, and their commonality lies in their calling and commitment to sustain the rich artistic traditions of their homeland.

Time Doth Swiftly Fly is the first joint exhibition between these two artists and it is a study of contrasts as much as it is a narrative on heritage. twocities Curator Shannon Guo writes in the catalogue preface:

This exhibition germinated from the collaborative creative energy of these two artists. As Jackson describes, “Clay and Ink are two totally different mediums, differing in expression and creative process, but they share the same cultural spirit of China. They represent softness and hardness. The beauty of Ink changes and infiltrating the paper is just like poetry. Clay becomes eternal when going through the test of fire. Clay and Ink are two prime examples embodying China’s heritage.” Time Doth Swiftly Fly is a dialogue between Ink and Clay, seeking to re-interpret their understanding of traditional art in a contemporary context.

The exhibit opens this Saturday and the reception is from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. The reception will include a tea ceremony and live guqin (seven-string zither) performance. Both Chen Jiu and Jackson will be in attendance to talk about their artwork.