World-renowned ceramic artist's studio. Europe volume. 1

Author: Bai Ming
Publisher:
Publication 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 I had to say has already been covered in several of my other books and articles. Upon review, these statements, though varied, seemed to delve deeper, yet they were nothing more than "old clichés" with little novelty. There was no reason to occupy 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 endless questions are raised about concepts and techniques, tradition and modernity, theory and practice, and national and international identity, it was even more unnecessary to elaborate excessively. Therefore, apart from a short preface and afterword, 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 subjects, supporting the academic value of ceramic art itself and minimizing the author's influence.
2. The massive eight-volume format features 112 internationally renowned ceramic artists, most of whom are members of the International Ceramic Association of UNESCO. Many of them are celebrated figures in the global ceramic world, and many are masters whose works in modern ceramic history cannot be overlooked. Most of the artists included have provided images and descriptions of their creative processes, which was also one of the most challenging and labor-intensive parts of the manuscript collection and production process. Those in the industry know how difficult and almost 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 it possible for this book to showcase these magical and uniquely charming creative processes, allowing the world to explore the diverse techniques and materials used by ceramic artists from different countries. This gives the book invaluable documentary and historical significance, as well as the function of a textbook on techniques and methods. Such a feature is rare and distinctive among contemporary ceramic books, journals, and art collections 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 can reveal the economic and cultural environment in which the artists 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 at least provide direct insights into better understanding the artists and their creations.
4. All the works, demonstrations, and texts in the book are personally provided and signed by the artists for authorization, a practice uncommon in China's publishing industry. Each artist's works are presented in full, provided they meet the publication standards, without any deletions. Strictly speaking, this is a self-selected collection of artists from around the world, and they are the true authors of this book.
5. Although the invitations sent to these artists explicitly requested personal studio environment photos, creative process demonstrations with descriptions, artistic philosophies, biographies, and works, a small number of artists were unable to provide complete creative process demonstrations and some materials due to age, health conditions, or time constraints. This is one of the differences between compiling an international-scale art collection and simply editing a collection of Chinese artists' works. Additionally, some of the text materials provided were not in the required English, so after translating them into Chinese and then back into English, some inaccuracies were unavoidable. The reason we did not opt for a simpler and more conventional way of compiling works but instead included so much challenging content and bilingual text was undoubtedly to enhance the book's academic value and its impact on international exchanges. However, the effort and hardship involved in this far exceed ordinary expectations.
6. More than half of the artists featured in the book are being systematically introduced to China for the first time. Among the artists I have previously introduced, many of the works published here are new, along with their creative processes, giving the book a fresh appearance.
7. I invited several artists and art critics from different nationalities and backgrounds to contribute to this book. The sincerity, wisdom, and passionate attention they bring to Chinese ceramic art, as well as their selfless support for the author, have not only enriched the book's academic perspectives but also infused it with vitality and a warm current of care.