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Biography
WEN-HSI Harman (b. 1984, Taipei, Taiwan) is a ceramic artist based in Somerset, United Kingdom. She is a member of the UNESCO International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) and the Royal Society of Sculptors (MRSS). Through her work in clay, she investigates cross-cultural identity, the feeling of in-betweenness, and the tension between cultural heritage and lived experience. Wen-Hsi holds a BA in Chinese Literature from Soochow University (2006), an MA in the History of Chinese Art from National Taiwan Normal University (2008), and a second MA in Contemporary Crafts (Ceramics) from the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham (2010). She completed her PhD in Ceramics at Bath Spa University in 2018. Her academic background informs her practice, bridging theory and materiality. Living outside of her homeland for over a decade, Wen-Hsi uses her art to reflect on the ongoing negotiation of identity between Taiwan and Britain. This lived experience offers her a ‘clearer’ lens through which to consider issues of cultural translation, displacement, and belonging. Her work frequently deal with the complexity of navigating two cultures. Clay is central to her artistic voice. For Wen-Hsi, it becomes more than a medium; it is a form of language. Through it, she gives shape to invisible tensions, often drawing personal memories and ' cultural symbols' to create sculptural forms. Her pieces may include repeated motifs, such as porcelain petals or fragments of text, that speak to both fragility and resilience. The deliberate choice of porcelain—valued in both Eastern and Western traditions—reinforces her dialogue between cultures. Her work has been exhibited internationally in Taiwan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, and Australia. Recent exhibitions include: Siegburg City Museum, Siegburg, Germany (2024).The Ceramic Museum (Museo della Ceramica), Castellamonte, Italy (2024).The Museum of Ceramics, Episcopio Castle, Grottaglie, Italy (2023)Panevėžys City Art Gallery, Panevėžys, Lithuania (2023).International Ceramics Museum Foundation of Faenza, Italy (2022).The Compass Centre, Bristol, UK (2017) New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan (2016) The Ceramic Foundation, South Korea (2015) Updating on 1 st of May 2025 |