About

Amongst the many craft hubs in China, Jingdezhen is a phenomenon unlike any other. The city offers everything: traditional workshops and factories proud of their remarkable skills; an international community of artists mingling with the hum of downtown traffic; a university that trains aspiring potters and designers; and creative markets that welcome a vibrant, youth-driven culture.

The Pottery Workshop Creative Market, the first creative market in Jingdezhen, was established in 2008. Since its inception, it has become a vital platform for emerging artists and young university graduates to showcase their work and engage with fellow makers and potential clients. This workshop invites two young makers from PWCM to demonstrate their distinctive approaches to contemporary ceramics and to share insights into their creative processes.

This workshop invites two young ceramicists from the Pottery Workshop Creative Market in Jingdezhen to demonstrate their creative processes.

Gu Yue studied ceramic painting at Jingdezhen Ceramics University and joined PWCM in 2017. His work draws inspiration from the lively ‘folk style’ painted ceramics of the historic Cizhou kilns, known for their spontaneous and vigorous depictions of animals, figures and plants. Building on this tradition, he creates complex porcelain sculptures that combine painting and form. His works often feature a central structure with multiple openings and two- and three-dimensional ornaments. Across these layered forms, he applies an expressive and playful painting style that brings the whole composition together.

Zhu Xinkui earned his BA from Jingdezhen Ceramics University and joined PWCM in 2016. Drawing inspiration from ancient marble clay, he has developed a distinctive technique by layering clay slips on plaster boards to form vessels and sculptures. The surfaces of some pieces retain subtle textures left by traces of use on the plaster boards, while others incorporate fine clay particles into the body to create a distinctive speckled effect.

This event is associated with the V&A Display Dimensions: Contemporary Chinese Studio Crafts (Room 44 and Room 146). Both artists’ works are on view in the display.