Chinese Pottery Past and Present

production of the hunping: Though traces of ceramic production can be found in the Paleolithic ages, the first evidence of pottery production as an art-form and a skill seems to be found during the Han period (3rd century BC to 3rd century AD). production of the hunping: a type of pottery which was used for funeral purposes, which are some of the first examples of highly stylized pottery in the Chinese tradition.

Song Dynasty, production of superior porcelain products: The ancient city of Changnan in modern day Jingdezhen (‘pottery capital’), combined the natural resources so well, utilizing the natural celadon material and glaze from the southern Yue kiln and the pure white porcelain from the northern Xing Kiln (from the high-quality earth surrounding the Gaoling Mountain in the area) to create smooth, bright, and literally luminescent pottery. These traits became so widely associated with the Changnan ceramics that these white and green pieces earned the nickname of ‘artificial jade’, and were sought after and imitated by artists worldwide.

Ming Dynasty (14th century AD to 17th century AD): true scientific and artistic innovations experimentation in unusual shape, techniques, use of contrasting dyes the finest output of pottery in the history of Chinese pottery, an output that subsequently placed China in the center of a thriving international import and export community. Ming Vases

Jian tea wares (which reached the height of its popularity in the Song Dynasty) iron-rich clays and high temperatures to create a blackish molten glaze that is vivid in its dark shade and unusual in the ridged patterns created in the oxidizing process. This pattern, known as ‘hare’s fur’, later came to be used to create other such effects, such as the oil-spot, tea-dust and partridge-feather glaze effects, a technique that was greatly appreciated, and eventually copied, by Japanese potters.

Ding Ware famed for the purity of the shade of its white paste, and the translucence of its glaze tended to run down the pottery and pool at the base, creating a ‘pool of tears’ effect, which was very much praised. Ru ware another popular pottery type during the Song period Ru pottery used the ‘crazing’ of a glaze (the crackles caused on the surface of a glaze when it cools and contracts too quickly), to a highly stylized effect that was made deliberately, despite the previous perception that ‘crazing’ was a defect in glazed ceramics.

Jun ware also became popular in the Song Dynasty. thicker pieces of ceramic were covered with a turquoise or purple glaze, which was so thick that the viscosity created a shimmering opalescence on the surface of the ceramic once it was placed in the kiln. considered cruder in its structure and bulk, the sheen of such pottery was very much appreciated at court, and is still the object of much acclaim in the modern day.

Xiao Wei / Zhengyin Art & Design Chinese ceramicist  Xiao Wei, began in the field of ceramics then branched out into broader design projects involving interior decoration and consultancy with Zhenyin Art which was established in Beijing in 1997. Zhengyin Art & Design collaborate with a team of local and international artists and architectural firms to create original art installations, ceramics, murals, sculptures and wall art specifically designed for a particular space.  A synthesis between contemporary concepts and traditional themes dominate the designs

Wall mural using vertical panels in the style of the traditional Chinese hanging scroll paintings of mountains Zhengyin Art & Design Zhengyin art installation inspired by the brushstrokes of Chinese calliagraphy – Tianjin Baoli International Plaza 25 feet in height

Covered vessel – Xiao Wei Squat ceramic bottle – Xiao Wei Zhengyin Art & Design Xiao Wei contemporary vase with glossy and textured glazing.

 Ai Weiwei (China) One of China’s most influential artists and human rights activists, Ai Weiwei questions norms and cultural values through. Ai has often used ceramics in his work, from his early performance in which he smashed Han dynasty urns, to his ceramic crabs addressing issues of censorship Ai’s series Colored Vases (2011), which “challenges concepts of rarity, value, and preciousness” and features earthenware vases from the Neolithic period (5,000–3,000BCE) dipped in industrial paint and now colored in contemporary shades. History, as Ai says, is “no longer visible, but is still there”: the precious relics have lost their authenticity and historical value, now covered in cheap paint. Through this work, Ai critiques the loss of history and tradition due to a rampant consumer culture, and addresses issues of cultural and historical vandalism prevalent in China and driven by market demand.

Ah Xian (China) Ah Xian (b. 1960, Beijing) takes inspiration from his life experience to create work that merge East and West. He found political asylum in Australia after the Tiananmen Incident of 1989. Since living in his adopted country, Ah Xian has explored the oppositions inherent in his life. These dichotomies are apparent in his ceramic works from the “China, China”, in which he merges the western artistic tradition of the bust with Chinese traditional designs. The casts of human busts are part of a Western tradition of portraiture dating back to ancient Roman times, while the decorations used by Ah Xian are unique to China’s tradition and in some cases, to the Jingdezhen kilns, where the artist produces his works. According to USC PAM, “China, China delves into the artist’s personal issue— how to negotiate his own identity, living between two cultures.”