World-renowned ceramic artist studio. Asia-Pacific volume. 2

Author: Bai Ming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: This book differs greatly from my previous works:
1. Before submitting the manuscript, I deleted an article on Chinese and foreign ceramic art research, nearly 20,000 words long. What needed to be said, I had already covered in several other books and articles. Upon review, these statements, though varied, seemed to delve deeper, yet they were essentially "old wine in new bottles" with little novelty and no justification for occupying readers' valuable time. As a member of the ceramic art community, my emotional perspective likely led to biased views. In the context of Chinese higher education and contemporary art, where issues of concept and technique, tradition and modernity, theory and practice, and nationality and internationality are endlessly debated, it was even more unnecessary to elaborate on them. Thus, after the short preface and postscript, as the author, no introductions written by me appear in the book. I wanted the outstanding works of ceramic artists from around the world to be the most important narrative subject, supporting the academic value of ceramic art itself and minimizing the author's influence.
2. The book's substantial eight volumes feature 112 internationally renowned ceramic artists, most of whom are members of the International Ceramic Association of UNESCO. Many of them are celebrated in the global ceramic community, and several are masters whose works are indispensable in the history of modern ceramic art. Most of the artists included have provided images and descriptions of their creative processes, which was one of the most challenging and labor-intensive parts of the manuscript collection and production process. Those in the industry know how difficult and unimaginable it is to ask so many influential artists to provide their creative processes within a relatively short timeframe. Fortunately and proudly, ceramic artists from around the world, with their understanding, support, and selfless cooperation, have made this book possible, allowing the world to explore the unique techniques and materials used by ceramic artists from different countries. This gives the book invaluable documentary and educational value, serving as a textbook for techniques and methods. Such a feature is rare and distinctive among contemporary ceramic art books, catalogs, and monographs worldwide. In today's era of frequent exchanges in the international ceramic community, decoding the creative processes of so many renowned artists will undoubtedly have a profound impact on promoting and enriching ceramic culture and inspiring new creative approaches.
3. The artist biographies reveal the economic and cultural environments in which they live and were educated, while their creative philosophies (or self-reports) reflect how they perceive the world and their inner selves. Although these are not the only ways to interpret their works, they provide direct insights into the artists and their creations.
4. All works, demonstrations, and texts in the book are personally provided and signed by the artists, a practice uncommon in the domestic publishing industry. Each artist's works are presented in full, without, as long as the clarity meets publication standards. Strictly speaking, this is a self-selected collection of artists from around the world, and they are the true authors of the book.
5. Although the invitations sent to these artists explicitly requested personal studio environment photos, creative process demonstrations and descriptions, artistic philosophies, biographies, and works, a small number of artists could not provide complete creative process demonstrations and some materials due to age, health conditions, or time constraints. This highlights the differences between compiling an international-scale art catalog and simply editing a collection of Chinese artists' works. Some of the text materials provided were also not in the required English, so after translation into Chinese, they had to be translated back into English, inevitably leading to some inaccuracies. The reason we chose this complex and challenging approach instead of a simple and conventional compilation was to enhance the book's academic value and international exchange impact. However, the effort and hardship involved far exceed ordinary imagination.
6. More than half of the artists featured in the book are being systematically introduced in China for the first time. Some artists I have previously introduced are also featured here with new works and creative process content, giving the book a fresh and innovative appearance.
7. I invited several artists and art critics from different countries and backgrounds to contribute articles to the book. The sincerity, wisdom, and passionate concern for Chinese ceramic art expressed in these articles, along with their selfless support for the author, have not only enriched the book's academic perspectives but also infused it with vitality and warmth.