Firing up porcelain's potential

The show Treasures of a Nation offers a good review of Jingdezhen's porcelain-making history. Ceramists of different generations display their artworks.[Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Modern technicians have managed to replicate several classical pieces, and some of these copies are shown at the exhibition.

Models include two refined replicas of works created in the mid-14th century. One is a cobalt-blue dragon vase now in the collection of Paris' Guimet Museum. The other is the blue-and-white jar with patterns that depict the story of Guiguzi that fetched $27.7 million at a London auction in 2005 - a record price for any Chinese artwork at the time.

The exhibition also celebrates the creativity of today's artists. They've expanded upon conventional presentations by creating paintings, light installations and designs, such as mobile phone covers, in porcelain.

Jingdezhen has been a member of UNESCO's creative cities network since 2014. It hopes to renew its porcelain traditions by importing new blood - young contemporary artists like Dong Lin.

The 25-year-old Beijing-based artist has worked in Jingdezhen for a couple of months a year since 2016. She produced a series of ceramic installations at a local kiln.

Dong has since returned to the city to work on new pieces.

"Jingdezhen is not quite as developed as I'd expected. A lot of studios and kilns are rather basic, with few rooms or desks," she says.

"I come because professional artisans assist me with every step of production. It's really helpful. I feel free yet challenged. It gives me a lot of options in tapping porcelain's potential."

If you go

9 am-4 pm, through Aug 18. 23 Taipingqiao Street, Xicheng district, Beijing.