Spirit of Porcelain — Contemporary Ceramic Sculptors from Jingdezhen

Author: Yu Shiliang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: This book takes the bronze sculpture "Hymn to Porcelain Workers" as its starting point, located in the People's Square of Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital. It provides an artistic description of Jingdezhen's manual porcelain-making techniques, folk customs, and the 10 creators of the sculpture. Accompanied by more than 300 photographs related to ceramic culture, the manuscript becomes a rich, detailed, and vividly presented monograph on sculpture in the history of Jingdezhen. As a significant part of ceramic art, ceramic sculpture has long been neglected in publications focusing on the lives and achievements of sculptors in the porcelain capital. Most existing works are picture albums, and the publication of "The Soul of Porcelain" fills the gap in books that document the life trajectories of ceramic sculptors through text.
The book employs a captivating prose style, effortlessly and appropriately depicting the artistic journeys of sculptors Zhou Guozheng, Zhang Yuxian, Liu Yuanchang, Tang Ziqiang, Xiong Gangru, Yao Yongkang, Lu Jun, Xu Bo, Gao Feng, and Cao Chunsheng, as well as the creation process of the bronze sculpture "Hymn to Porcelain Workers," the life of ancient porcelain workers, and porcelain-making techniques. At the same time, it vividly portrays stories from folk kiln workshops and firing sites through a narrative of folk customs, presenting the enchanting and long-standing ceramic culture of Jingdezhen, the world's renowned porcelain capital, to readers.
As the author says, "Writing these words and recording my reflections is like pausing during life's journey at the ancient ferry crossing of Hutan, the West Melon Island, or the Sanlu Wharf. I have organized, bundled, tied, and loaded my impressions, feelings, and hopes regarding porcelain matters, porcelain people, and the porcelain capital over the years. I hope people will interpret ceramic art more deeply and understand this porcelain capital of Jingdezhen, which is as famous as China and creates 'heavenly objects' for the world."