Solid-colored ceramics are not limited to copper-red pieces and celadons. Many are glazed in black or in white. Even though neither black nor white is colorful, both are far from meaningless. In its void, whiteness highlights the richness of textures. In the solemn depths of blackness, one notices the different levels of intensity.
This exhibition showcases 141 works. These black and white ceramic artifacts and artworks are from Taiwan and beyond, spanning antiquity and the present. In addition to holdings from the Yingge Ceramics Museum’s own collections, we are featuring loans from the National Museum of Natural Science, the National Museum of History, the Hwa Kang Museum of the Chinese Culture University, and the Mexican Trade Services Documentation and Cultural Office. The loans include treasures like black ceramics from the Neolithic Longshan
Culture, white ceramics from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and black-glazed and white-glazed vessels throughout history. Some gray pottery pieces from the late Neolithic were unearthed in archeological digs in Taiwan. There are also smoke-fired black ceramics, tenmoku tea bowls, modern designer tea vessels, vases and other utensils by artists from around the world.
When you observe these vessels, try avoiding the approach that depends on the artists’ internal expressiveness. Instead, focus on perceiving the external appearances and textures of these vessels. Vessels nowadays tend to be minimalist and fashionably designed, and they still rely on black and white as their key components. This is an eye-catching selection of utensils and artworks.
-
Supervisor: New Taipei City Government
-
Organizer: Cultural Affairs Department of New Taipei City.
-
Executive Organizer: New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum
-
Co-organizers: the National Museum of Natural Science, the National Museum of History, the Hwa Kang Museum of the Chinese Culture University, and the Mexican Trade Services Documentation and Cultural Office
-
Educational outreach partners: Zhonghu Elementary School in Yingge District and Changan Elementary School in Xizhi District (both in New Taipei City).