World-renowned ceramic artist's studio. America roll. 1

Author: Bai Ming
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Features: This book differs significantly from my previous works:
1. Before submitting the manuscript, I deleted an article on Chinese and foreign ceramic research, nearly 20,000 words long. What I had to say about it had already been covered in several of my 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. There was no justification for occupying readers' valuable time. As a member of the ceramic community, the emotional tone of my writing also made it highly likely to be biased. In the context of Chinese higher education and contemporary art, where issues of concept and technique, tradition and modernity, theory and practice, and national and international perspectives are endlessly debated, it was even more unnecessary for me to add my voice. Therefore, after a brief preface and postscript, you won’t find any introductions written by me 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 ceramics 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 figures in the global ceramic world, and several 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 share their creative processes within a relatively short timeframe. Fortunately and proudly, ceramic artists from around the world, with their understanding, support, and selfless cooperation, made it possible for the book to showcase these magical and uniquely charming creative processes. This allows readers to explore the diverse techniques and materials used by ceramic artists from different countries, giving the book invaluable documentary and educational value as 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 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 at least provide direct insights into 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 for clarity, without any. 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 with descriptions, artistic philosophies, biographies, and works, a small number of artists were unable to provide complete demonstrations or some materials due to age, health conditions, or time constraints. This highlights 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 English, requiring translation into Chinese and then back into English, inevitably leading to some inaccuracies in expression. The reason we chose not to adopt a simple and conventional approach to compiling the works but instead included so much challenging content and bilingual text was to enhance the book’s academic depth and international exchange impact. However, the effort and hardship involved in this process 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. Some of the artists I have previously introduced also contributed new works along with their creative processes, giving the book a fresh and innovative appearance.
7. I invited several artists and art critics from different nationalities and backgrounds to contribute articles to the book. The sincerity, wisdom, and passionate attention they bring to Chinese ceramics, 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, caring spirit.