More than 1,000 years ago, ships loaded with exquisite porcelain set off from Jingdezhen and went to the world through the Maritime Silk Road; more than 1,000 years later, ceramic artists from all over the world came to Jingdezhen to reproduce the grand scene of "craftsmen from all directions, instruments into the world".
These "Yangjing Drifts" come from different countries, have different skin colors, and work, study and live in Jingdezhen out of yearning for Chinese ceramic culture. They draw the nutrients of the thousand-year-old porcelain capital, and also promote the innovative development of ceramic art and the wide dissemination of ceramic culture through their own hands.
Bringing together potters from all over the world
In a pottery studio in Fuliang County, Jingdezhen City, Jiangxi Province, teapots, ornaments, ornaments, etc. are full of dazzling, and pottery of different sizes fills the small room. They are unique in shape, bright in color, full of rich marine atmosphere, all by the "post-90s" boy Allan Denis Naymark. The boy is a "foreign landscape drifter" from New York, USA, and Chinese named "Mud Ming".
"When I was a child, I saw a lot of ancient Chinese ceramics in the museum, and I liked it very much." Mud Ming said in fluent Chinese. His father was an archaeologist who taught at the university. Ming of Ni has been interested in ancient Chinese ceramics since he was a child, and began to learn pottery at the age of 8. He earned 4 bachelor's degrees in the United States, including Chinese culture and ceramic sculpture.
In 2013, when Ni Daming first came to Jingdezhen, he was deeply attracted by the city and began to settle here in the summer of 2015. After graduating from university, Ni Zhiming went to Jingdezhen Ceramic University to pursue a master's degree, and graduated in 2019. "Ceramic artists from all over the world gather here." Ming of the mud said that Jingdezhen has a long history of porcelain making, and it has better preserved the ancient Chinese porcelain making technology, and the feeling of ancient Chinese porcelain can be found here. In his view, Jingdezhen has a very complete porcelain industry chain, and it is very convenient to buy a variety of ceramic raw materials for the realization of their own creativity and ideas.
There are currently more than 5,000 people in the "Ocean Drift" like Ni Zhiming, including professors from the Royal College of Art, doctors from Harvard University, and "titans" in the international ceramics industry. According to the relevant person in charge of the Organization Department of the Zhushan District Committee of Jingdezhen, "Yangjing Drift" appeared sporadically during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, and has been quite large-scale after the reform and opening up, especially in the 21st century, there are more foreigners coming to Jingdezhen. "Nowadays, the Tao Xichuan International Studio in Jingdezhen, the Sanbao International Pottery Village, the Lotte Pottery Society, and the International College of Jingdezhen Ceramic University have become the main gathering places of 'Yangjing Drift', where they enjoy the fun of creation." Gao Xiang, secretary of the Zhushan District PARTY Committee of Jingdezhen, said.
"Jingdezhen's thick cultural heritage and exquisite porcelain-making craftsmanship have a natural appeal to those who love ceramic art." While experiencing the thousand-year-old porcelain capital culture, they can also complete almost all the pottery-related creations here. The relevant person in charge of the Jingdezhen Ceramic Talent Service Center told reporters that some "Yangjing Drift" have gone to spread ceramic culture around the world after obtaining pottery skills and deeper understanding; some people have stayed in Jingdezhen for a long time, opened studios, and fully integrated into the local art creation.
Clay Ming and his pottery works courtesy of the interviewee
Learn about China through porcelain
"It's very happy here, really happy." Li Man, from Italy, told reporters from the bottom of his heart. The 27-year-old is a special "Ocean Drifter" who is currently studying for graduate school at Jingdezhen Ceramic University. Li Man's research direction is art science. For her, the so-called happiness means that in Jingdezhen, she can observe ceramic artworks with different styles from various historical periods. "In Italian museums, ceramics are untouchable; at Jingdezhen Ceramics University, we can 'get started' when doing research." Li Man said excitedly.
In high school, Li Man was first introduced to Chinese philosophy in a history class, and since then he has become interested in China. At the age of 18, Li Man traveled to Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and other cities in China, and gained a more intuitive understanding of China. Li Man's undergraduate major is still Chinese culture. In her own words, it is "fate" with China.
"In the West, almost all blue and white porcelain comes from Jingdezhen, and Clark porcelain is also produced in Jingdezhen." Li Man told reporters that during the 3 years of graduate school, Li Man ran to various studios as soon as he had time, followed ceramics artists from all over the world to learn ceramics production, learned about various artistic concepts, and later began to get started "playing with mud". "Because I found that to study ceramics, practice is a very important part. If you don't experience it yourself, some small details cannot be understood from pure theory. Li Man said.
In Li Man's view, ceramic products are not simple daily necessities, but also represent the artist's concept of life, containing a nation's thinking on the relationship between man and nature, and embodying the aesthetic and scientific and technological development of an era. "For a foreigner, I can understand the cultural characteristics of Various Periods in China through Chinese ceramics." Li Man herself is very fond of Song Dynasty porcelain, and she believes that Song porcelain represents the elegance and order in traditional Chinese culture.
It is reported that Jingdezhen relies on the unique ceramic university platform in China to establish friendly and cooperative relations with more than 30 universities and international ceramicists associations in the United States, Britain, France, Japan, South Korea and other countries and regions. Every year, about 100 international students come to Jingdezhen Ceramic University, where they learn pottery knowledge and porcelain making techniques, and then understand Chinese culture and China. After graduation, these international students either continue to study at the university, or stay in Jingdezhen to start a business, and some return to their own countries to teach pottery and spread culture.
Jingdezhen Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Block Courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Jingdezhen Municipal Party Committee
The fusion of culture and art is more frequent
Ni Zhiming likes to find inspiration from the ocean and the forest, and also likes to recreate with some waste products, and he will also integrate his understanding of ancient Chinese, ancient Egypt, and ancient Greek porcelain into his creation. "The materials we use may be similar, but everyone thinks differently. Artistic creativity from all over the world collides here. Mud said.
"The 'Yangjing Drifters' are attracted by the ceramic culture of Jingdezhen, and at the same time bring new artistic techniques, new production processes and new products to Jingdezhen's artistic creation." The relevant person in charge of the Jingdezhen Ceramic Talent Service Center said that under the interactive innovation, new varieties, new materials, new processes and new painting styles of Jingdezhen porcelain art have emerged in an endless stream, forming a dialogue between Chinese painting, oil painting and porcelain painting, a dialogue between local and "foreign scenery drift", and a dialogue between traditional skills and modern craftsmanship.
In the long history of the millennium, openness and inclusiveness have been cast into the distinctive urban characteristics of Jingdezhen. Jingdezhen people communicate with potters around the world, seek common ground while reserving differences, and integrate into the long-standing Jingdezhen ceramic culture. Today, such cultural and artistic integration has become more frequent, making the future of Jingdezhen full of more possibilities and unlimited reverie.
At present, Mud Ming is working on replacing a larger studio, which will be operational in about half a year. In the future, he wants to create more large-scale pottery. "I will continue to stay in Jingdezhen." Mud Ming said with great certainty.
Li Man, who is about to graduate this year, set the title of his graduation thesis as "Cultural Exchange between China and the West - From the Theory of Art Philosophy to the Development of Chinese Ceramics". "My research has always been related to Chinese culture and Chinese ceramics, and I want to continue to stay in China after graduation." Li Man said. She hopes to have the opportunity to hold lectures in Italy in the future and spread Chinese ceramic culture to more places. (Reporter Lai Rui)
People's Daily Overseas Edition (07th edition, March 2, 2022)
Source: People's Daily Overseas Edition