All posts filed under: Mosaics made in China

Where Porcelain comes from

Published by gertrud

As part of my residency to explore the interfaces between mosaic and porcelain craft I went on an excursion to Jingdezhen, the birthplace of porcelain. We took the train to ride slow into history. Porcelain production started first time in the world in the area around Jingdezhen in the 11 century. Here the craftsmen first experimented with the special earths found in the area that are needed to fire pure white and often delicately thin vessels. It soon became the highly sought and expensively traded “white gold”. Jingdezhen is a small city in the middle of China. Everyone who has a window to the street sells porcelain or pottery. Even the street lamps are exhibiting porcelain. Unfortunately the historic area with the ancient kilns dating back to the 11 century was under reconstruction. See below. But the large porcelain museum at the city fringe shows a detailed history of porcelain craft on 4 floors.  It was nice to see the craft very much alive and we could lay hands on the pottery wheel feeling the …

Residency @ Caicifang Porcelain Studio Beijing

Published by gertrud

From April till June 2021 I was invited to show my mosaic works at the Porcelain Studio “Caicifang”. The porcelain studio and shop Caicifang is located in one the old alleyways in the touristy area just south of Tiananmen Square. Whenever I cycled to or from my home to the porcelain studio I passed that gigantic Square with Mao’s portrait hanging on the wall to the forbidden city in the north.   I was introduced the the studio by my friends Sanny Wroblewski in May 2019 on a stroll through this area. Back then it was mainly a shop that sold souvenirs made with ancient porcelain shards set in sliver or wood. That afternoon we met SuNan the porcelain conservation specialist who is running the visitor service and workshop that the project acquired in the house just opposite. He and his team are creating a very special atmosphere in the old Hutong space – guiding every visitor through the exhibition of ancient porcelain vessels, beautifully kintsugi restored porcelain bowls, old maps, opera costumes and embroidery …

Mosaic for Awareness Raising on Climate Change Beijing

Published by gertrud

This video was created by Liu Liu, MosaicMoments assistant between October 21 and May 22. Please click on the image below to view the video. Between November 21 and April 22 the Climate Change Community Mosaic was created in Beijing. It was  a wonderful project that kept us busy and active for this good course – awareness raising about climate change. The whole project started with a tweet by an organisation that wants to involve people’s direct voices in the COP discussions – compared to representatives voices as it is until now- and inspire and enable ordinary citizens to discuss climate change policies amongst themselves. One medium of this discussion shall be art. This organisation is called GLOBAL ASSEMBLY We organised our own “Global Assembly” of the international community of Beijing and out of the discussion on that day December 8, 2021 the Climate Change Community Mosaic was created. It was absolutely overwhelming to have soo many people interested to participate to make the mosaic with their own hands, to search for an appropriate location …