Exhibition Generation Clay: Reimagining Asian Heritage will grace Bunjil Place from 3 August, celebrating the vibrant versatility of clay by a new generation of Asian-Australian contemporary artists.
The exhibition is curated by Vipoo Srivilasa, an award-winning contemporary artist and curator, who invited fourteen artists from across Australia to create new work using a palette of predominately blue and white.
These works re-imagine cultural expectations, presenting a fresh perspective within a traditional colour palette and form.
Blue and white ceramics have a long and complex history tracing back centuries from early Islamic and Chinese wares.
Together, these artists are redefining traditional and ceramic forms to reflect their personal histories and memories, cultural heritage, and family tied to mythological and popular culture narratives.
The artists include Armie Sungvaribud (TAS), Asahi So (NSW), Casey Chen (NSW), Dai Li (Qld), EJ Son (NSW), Jayanto Tan (NSW), Mai Nguyễn-Long (NSW), Monica Rani Rudhar (NSW), Nani Puspasari (VIC), Theodosius Ng (VIC), Yang Qiu (NSW), Yen Yen Lo (VIC), Yoko Ozawa (VIC) and Zhu Ohmu (VIC).
At the centre of the exhibition is The Bloom Room, a special making area where exhibition visitors can participate in a range of changing monthly activities, from hand-crafting origami flowers and tiny clay objects to sharing stories.
The colour blue is also a unifying feature of the exhibition’s design, alluding to the wider discourses of blue and white patterning, its connections to the global movement and its reinterpretation and translation through form and motif over time.
‘’I have brought together some of the most exciting ceramic talent and together we are creating, what I believe, is a first-of-its-kind exhibition – Asian Australian ceramicists interpreting the blue and white palette in new ways,” Vipoo said
“I have also worked with the Asian diaspora on the exhibition design, construction, writing and photography of the show.
“The works, along with the participatory nature of the exhibition is something that I’m very proud of.’’
The exhibition will be from 3 August to 24 November 2024.
An opening celebration will be held at 9.30am on Saturday 3 August, along with a Tea Ceremony.
An Artist Market will be held on the same day from 10am to 2pm, featuring 35 stallholders, including artists from the exhibition.
