Chiayi exhibition showcases tenmoku masterpieces

2015/10/22

An exhibition celebrating the contribution of tenmoku pottery masters to global tea-tasting culture is underway at Chiayi Municipal Museum in southern Taiwan.

Comprising 80 pieces by eight accomplished artists from home and abroad, International Tenmoku Guest Exhibition features some of the finest examples of the iron-based glaze originating in China during the Song dynasty (960-1279) and later adopted in Japan.

At the event’s opening ceremony Oct. 17, Chiayi City Mayor Twu Shiing-jer said the exhibition will enrich the local artistic landscape and serve as a platform for homegrown talents to learn from more accomplished ceramic-makers. “We also view it as a valuable opportunity to promote the region’s world-class Alishan high-mountain teas.”

Echoing Twu’s remarks, Chen Kuan-fu, director-general of the Department of Cultural Resources under Ministry of Culture, said the region’s history and natural environment are ideal for cultivating tea-tasting culture and crafting related utensils. “The popularity of the event is a strong vote of confidence in Chiayi’s goal to become the tea capital of Taiwan.”

The exhibition’s spotlighted artists are Chiang Yu-ting and Lo Sen-hao of Taiwan, Jean Girel from France, Hayashi Kyosuke, Kimura Moriyasu and Oketani Yasushi of Japan, as well as Li Da and Sun Jian-xing from mainland China.

Chiang is well-known for his yuteki, or oil-spot glaze tea bowls. In addition, he developed a special “hidden colored” technique producing eye-catching works in multicolored hues.

Equally impressive are Kyosuke’s creations, which were recognized as cultural heritage by Toki City in Japan two years ago. He specializes in yohen, a type of pottery utilizing kiln floor ashes to create a hare’s fur glaze on the surface of the piece.

Also of note are the bird- and snake-inspired works of Girel, who fashioned some of his finest ceramics with natural materials sourced from Taiwan. His signature glazes are reminiscent of clouds illuminated by the gentle light of the late-afternoon sun.

The exhibition, which wraps up Dec. 13, is expected to attract academics, artisans and pottery lovers from Taiwan and overseas during its two-month run.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=238082&ctNode=2194&mp=9)