The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 50 no 1 April 2011

left: Andrei Davidoff wh:h a big pot in a factory near Jingdezhen
Photo: Kellie Barnes
Above: Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute, Jingdezhen
Photo: Andrei Davidoff
were represented including Kellie Barnes, Kim Goldsmith, Szilvia Gyorgy, Inga Svendsen and me (Andrei
Davidoff). Inga won a month-long residency in Fuping with her beautiful series of cylinders. The ecledic,
high quality examples of emerging pradice further demonstrated the strength, range and uniqueness of
the work being produced all over the world by young and emerging ceramics artists and potters.
Congratulations also to Tina Byrne who was eleded as the President of ICMEA for the next three
years.
In between talks, debates and competition celebrations, the delegates were treated to several enviable
sightseeing opportunities. Seeing the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an should be on anybody's 'bucket list';
the sheer monumentality of the halls which house the excavated pits, as well the individuality of each
sculpture, demonstrate a skill and attention as well as organisational capacity, that can only be described
as 'Chinese'. In contrast was the fascinating and humbling experience of visiting Chen Lu, a mountain
top pottery village where family-run potteries produce wares for the local markets - slip-casting, wheelthrowing,
decorating and firing within the complexes of their family homes. The over-romanticised
image of the 'unknown craftsman' was brought into a more realistic light through the evident hardship
of their lives, albeit in a beautiful locale.
After the conference, the majority of the delegates continued on to a whirlwind three-day tour of
Jingdezhen. Takeshi Yasuda was kind enough to take us around the ceramics student market where
the majority of us indulged in some early Christmas shopping, as well as his Pottery Workshop and
internationally renowned Design Studio. Other Jingdezhen landmarks visited included the 'Big Pot
Fadory' and the famous decal shop street. Another highlight was visiting Jackson U's inspiring mountain
workshop and studio complex, Sanbao. Jackson was gracious in letting us wander around the studios
and kilns, as well as treating us to dinner and a tour of his gallery. For those up for a few more days of
bus travel and each other, the grueling schedule ended with a visit to Longquan (famous for its olive
green celadon), which was celebrating the beginning of its month-long celadon festival. Aga in we
90 THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS APRIL 2011