On Monday night we had a belayed thanksgiving dinner. Since these types of food are not typically made in China, there was some substitutions and improvisation that happened in order to make our feast. Including Mash potatoes in a walk, and stuffed chicken instead of turkey. In the end we had a spectacular meal, with most of the credit going to Lacey. We where joined bye many of the volunteers and staff that work at the pottery workshop.
This past friday our Exhibition “98 Days in China” opened in the c2 gallery at the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen China. A packed opening with many of the local artisans, students, and friends coming out to support us. To celebrate all the hard work that went into the exhibition we all went out to K-TV(Karaoke) after the reception. In China Karaoke is huge, and they have establishments where you can rent a room with your friends to have your own private Karaoke party. Lots a fun!!
We have all been working hard to get ready for our group exhibition here in China. Here a couple of set up shots. More photos coming soon once it’s all up. We also have a great poster that we have been hanging all over the city.
Early one morning in while I was in Shanghai, Ben Carter interveiwed me for his Pod Cast Series; Tales of a Red Clay Rambler. You can download it from iTunes here. https://itunes.apple.com/us/
Today we went to yet another ceramic factory. This one is a Japanese owned company, that specializes in production wares for Japanese department stores. They produce about 400,000 to 500,000 finished pieces a month! The most obvious difference was how clean and well lit is factory was compared to other production facilities we had seem thus far. They also utilized more automated systems of production, like pressure casting and Jigger Jolly machines. On the way back we took a quick stop at an area where they specialize in making large thrown pots and ceramic tables.
Visited the slip cast factory. The factories here are more area the size of a small village that specialize in different production methods of ceramics. In each “factory” there are multiple businesses that make different work. Here you can order green ware forms that will be delivered to you studio for you to glaze and paint on. The also produce finished work you can buy as well.
I went to the big vase slip casting factory yesterday, It was pretty shocking at the conditions they work in, yet they are still able to produce such refined objects.
Arrived in Jingdezhen on November 1st to meet up with the students from West Virginia, who have been working here at the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen or almost two months. On Saturday we took an all day trip to Dragon Tiger Mountain. Dragon and Tiger Mountain (Longhu Mountain) is a famous Taoism mountain with a long history. 16 km (about 9.94 miles) south of Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province, the mountain has been noted as the ‘Residence of Celestials’ and ‘Blest Earthly Abode’ because of its beautiful scenery. As a cradle land of Taoism, Dragon and Tiger Mountain has been regarded as a Holy Land to which many pilgrimages are made every year. Today the religious sit is more a tourist destination then functioning religious center. During the Cultural Revolution (late 60’s early 70’s) most of these temples where all but destroyed, have been since rebuilt or repaired for the tourist industry. It was an amazingly beautiful place, and my favorite part was a bamboo raft ride down the river that ended the day.
My last day in Shanghai(10/31) I spent the day site seeing, with my new friend ChiChi a tech at Shanghai University. We Went back to the Shanghai Museum, first to see some areas that I missed the first visit. Then to the Bund, an old historic port area of the city that was instrumental in Shanghai’s development. Across the river lies Shanghais Manhattan. We ended the day walking around the forbidden Garden Shopping Center and the YuYuan Garden.
The food in China so far has been pretty good. I’ve been trying everything at least once, but I’ve learned to just eat it first and then ask what it is. I think tonight took the cake for the strangest thing I’ve had so far. Tree frog and chicken blood soup. Basically quartered frogs that are cooked in a spicy broth and the chicken blood is boiled down until it gels and turns to a thick substance that it cut into chunks and added to the soup. The frog wasn’t bad, but the chicken blood was pretty weird, don’t think I’ll have that again. 