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RUSTIC SPLENDORS Kiln Treasures from Shiwan From the Xian Rui Xuan Collection On View: August 26, 2005 through March 25, 2006 |
| Ceramic tradition is the most enduring and outstanding of all China's decorative arts. The less widely known Shiwan (pronounced in Cantonese: Shekwan) kilns from south China deserve recognition for their distinctive characteristics and innovative contribution to China's ceramic tradition. Located in the southern province of Guangdong, the Shiwan kilns have been producing pottery steadily for over 4,000 years and some Shiwan wares have earned recognition beyond their remote provincial place of origin. These superb vessels were made in an infinite number of creative shapes and were decorated with great skill and imagination. The most magnificent feature of Shiwan ceramics is the incredible variety and range of their unique glazes and glaze effects. The renowned Shiwan figurines, or gongzai in Cantonese, are finely modeled and they manage to convey not only the facial features but also the spirit of the subject with vivid animation. This exhibition is presented by the Pacific Heritage Museum in collaboration with the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. Rustic Splendors: Kiln Treasures from Shiwan features 140 ceramic pieces and brings together the very best examples of Shiwan pottery from collectors in the U.S. and Canada. The selection ranges from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) to the modern period. Only sixteen works have ever been on public display. The extensive selection illustrates Shiwan creativity in the traditional categories of figures, vessels, animals, and household objects. A distinct section devoted to scholarly objects offers a fresh perspective in appreciating Shiwan art. This project was planned and implemented with the assistance of many people to whom we would like to thank for their time and expertise. We thank So Kam Ng for curating the exhibition; Albert Cheng for securing many of the objects from collectors; John Lee for the photography of the objects; exhibition designer Lillian Hsu; Carol Potter Peckham, Manni Liu, and Ted Lin for overall coordination; Rick Wong Design for graphics design, Xiaomei Li for her translation work, and last but not least, all the collectors who have generously loaned their valuable Shiwan pieces to the exhibition. In addition, we also thank Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, and to the membership of the Chinese Culture Foundation for their funding support. |
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