Shifting Paradigms: Contemporary Chinese Ceramics

Speaker: Dr. Xiaoxin Li  李晓欣 – Curator, Asia Department, V&A

Chinese ceramics has undergone a remarkable transformation since the 1980s, as artists, educators and makers have redefined the possibilities of the medium in response to profound social, economic and cultural changes. Yet much of this history remains unfamiliar to audiences outside China. Drawing on five years of research into contemporary Chinese studio crafts, this lecture offers an introduction to the development of contemporary Chinese ceramics from the mid-1980s to the present.

Beginning with the emergence of experimental approaches and the renewed engagement with historic ceramic practices, the lecture traces the formation of new artistic languages, introducing key figures who shaped the field and works that have come to constitute its emerging canons. This lecture also examines the importance of centres of production and education, from historic hubs like Jingdezhen and Yixing to leading institutions in Beijing and Hangzhou, to present contemporary Chinese ceramics not as a linear progression from tradition to modernity, but a complex interaction between craft, art, industry, education and locality.

This lecture is generously sponsored Dore & Rees 

Accessibility Information

The Society of Antiquaries welcomes wheelchairs and mobility vehicles however since the main entrance consists of steps they will provide a ramp. Essential companions are also welcome and Hearing Loops are built into the Lecture Room AV system. There are no designated disabled toilets but toilets are located on the ground floor.

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Image: Courtesey of the Victoria and Albert Museum