Pottery shards from Yaoli

At my work period in China, October 2010, I took a trip to the beautiful village of Yaoli (Jingdezhen). Overthere I found some old porcelain shards. The old man in the picture saw me walking with these shards in my hands when I past his house, and he gave me the three (broken) bowls on the left as a present (okay, well, I actually gave him some money for it, but anyway.....)!

The artist Jiansheng Li told me they were probably from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), at least the blue and white ones. The greyish bowl was probably even older, dating from the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368).

According to information, about the blue and white bowls, I recently found on the web, Chinese archaeologists have excavated bowls of this type at the Jiang family kiln at Yaoli. This kiln site is from the Ming Dynasty Zhengtong to Tianshun Period (1427 -1464).
So that make these bowls almost 600 years old! I am so glad I got these through customs and in my collection now! 
Note the special calligraphic style on these bowls!
(on the right you see pictures of two similar bowls found on the internet).
If you have more historical information about these type of bowls, please contact me.

Neko Jita!

This coming Saturday, June 18 th 2011, a new exhibition opens at Quartair in The Hague (where I have my studio).
This exhibition is called "Neko Jita", literally meaning "cat tongue", and it refers to someone who can't eat or drink spicy food. Unliterally it refers to someone who is sensitive for influences from outside. The exhibition shows works of twelve artists who are fascinated and inspired by the country Japan. So maybe you can say that Japonisme is not only an art movement from around the year 1900, but is still very much alive! Come and see for yourself.
By the way: I did the graphic design for the invitation!

'NEKO JITA' 
Juni 18 th till Juli 9 th 2011

. Opening Saturday June 18, 8.00 PM

.
'Neko Jita' shows works by the artists: 
Seekee Chung, Karin van Dam, Sibylle Eimermacher, Robin de Goede, Daan van Golden, Erik-Jan Ligtvoet, Huub van der Loo,
 Nico Kos, 
Rens Krikhaar, Stefanie Scholte, Martine Stig, WassinkLundgren.


More information: www.quartair.nl

Big pot on the spot

My big vase has arrived last week, in one piece, at the Delft city hall. Thanks to Zuliani and Adriaan Rees.

The exhibition, showing porcelain tiles and this vase that I made in Jingdezhen last year, and works by Chinese artist Jiansheng Li which he made at Royal Delft last summer, starts today.

http://erfgoed-delft.nl/nl/wat-is-er-te-doen/actueel-erfgoed-delft/426-tentoonstelling-400-jaar-exchange-delft-jingdezhen

Bubo bubo in the spotlight

My recently finished painting "Koning Bubo bubo De Rode en zijn adviseurs" (King Bubo bubo the Red and his advisors) was photographed today at studio Buitenhof, www.studiobuitenhof.nl

Woodman work

I started the glazing work on my new ceramic sculpture, "Woodman's journey" at Struktuur 68 studio, in Den Haag www.struktuur68.nl . Soon I will post more pictures of the development of the work on this blog.

Majolica workshop

Would you like to learn how to paint in the ancient ceramic Majolica technique?

I am giving a workshop at BK050 in Groningen on Saturday, May 28, 10:00 am - 15:00 pm.

More information on this workshop and how to apply: www.bk050.nl/home/home

Exhibition: 400 years Exchange Delft – Jingdezhen

The city of Delft, Erfgoed Delft e.o. and Royal Delft (and me) invite you to come to the opening of the exhibition "400 years Exchange Delft – Jingdezhen" in the City Hall of Delft.

The exhibition will be opened by Bas Verkerk, Mayor of Delft, on Tuesday May 31 at 16:30 pm.

The exhibition includes the works I made for the project during my work period in Jingdezhen in 2010.

The exhibition runs from May 31 to June 25, and is open daily (except on Sunday) from 10.00 am to 17.00 pm. Admission is free.