書寫作品：被遺忘的山水Forgotten landscape
My Sculpture: Forgotten Landscape
Royale Porcelain, Plaster
Handmade and mould-making
25.5 x 26 x 15 cm
2019
This piece is a personal work, reviewing my journey of negotiating the space of in-betweenness between my homeland, Taiwan, and my second home, Britain.
In 2009, I came to England to pursue a second MA degree in Contemporary Craft, focusing on ceramic practice. Moving from one island, Taiwan, to another, Britain, I found myself drawn to the landscapes of both places. Taiwan, a beautiful island with dormant volcanoes, and Britain, with its charming countryside and quaint villages, both left lasting impressions on me.
I created this sculpture after living in Britain for ten years. During that time, I faced the difficult decision of whether to stay or return to Taiwan to be with my family. Eventually, I chose to remain in Britain and undertook the 'Life in the UK' test. After three months of preparation, I passed the test and spent approximately £3,000 to apply for a Certificate of Naturalisation. Gaining my British passport and citizenship was a costly and significant decision.
This longing inspired the title 'Forgotten Landscape.' Nature has always been close to my heart, my reflections on belonging and identity.For the colour, I referenced the timeless blue and white porcelain tradition, the connection between East and West. The title also nods to my academic background. My first MA degree was in the History of Art, with a particular focus on 6th Dynasty ceramics.
From 2006 to 2008, part of my training involved working at a couple of auction companies, researching and writing catalog entries about Chinese paintings. Immersing myself in 5,000 years of artistic heritage, I studied how ancient craftsmen represented landscapes in paintings and porcelain, interpreting mountains and water through poetic expressions.
As a living artist, I question how I perceive and review landscapes through my materials, firing methods, and presentation. I combined stone cast powder plaster and Royale porcelain for this work. Traditionally, plaster is used to create mould and discarded afterward. However, I chose to preserve the plaster as part of the sculpture, using it as a base to support the porcelain. This juxtaposition creates a dialogue between the flat porcelain surface and the three-dimensional form.
I pressed my fingers into the clay, leaving traces of my touch. I then poured plaster into the clay form to create the base. The imprints of my fingers are visible along the bottom edge, adding a personal signature to the piece.
My landscape sculpture is not a direct representation of nature; it is a man-made interpretation. For its display, I placed the sculpture on an aluminum plate to create a sense of ambiguity. The reflective surface blurs the line between the real and the surreal, serving as both a mirror and a platform. This decision emphasizes the concept of in-betweenness, symbolizing the gap between my two cultural identities.
Through this work, I invite viewers to engage in a dialogue about navigating cultural identity. Rather than providing answers, I use the landscape as a means of exploration—a reflection of my experiences living between two cultures and two systems of thought. This is my way of reconstructing cultural identity through ceramic practice, merging Taiwanese and British perspectives in a personal expression of belonging.
Royale Porcelain, Plaster
Handmade and mould-making
25.5 x 26 x 15 cm
2019
This piece is a personal work, reviewing my journey of negotiating the space of in-betweenness between my homeland, Taiwan, and my second home, Britain.
In 2009, I came to England to pursue a second MA degree in Contemporary Craft, focusing on ceramic practice. Moving from one island, Taiwan, to another, Britain, I found myself drawn to the landscapes of both places. Taiwan, a beautiful island with dormant volcanoes, and Britain, with its charming countryside and quaint villages, both left lasting impressions on me.
I created this sculpture after living in Britain for ten years. During that time, I faced the difficult decision of whether to stay or return to Taiwan to be with my family. Eventually, I chose to remain in Britain and undertook the 'Life in the UK' test. After three months of preparation, I passed the test and spent approximately £3,000 to apply for a Certificate of Naturalisation. Gaining my British passport and citizenship was a costly and significant decision.
This longing inspired the title 'Forgotten Landscape.' Nature has always been close to my heart, my reflections on belonging and identity.For the colour, I referenced the timeless blue and white porcelain tradition, the connection between East and West. The title also nods to my academic background. My first MA degree was in the History of Art, with a particular focus on 6th Dynasty ceramics.
From 2006 to 2008, part of my training involved working at a couple of auction companies, researching and writing catalog entries about Chinese paintings. Immersing myself in 5,000 years of artistic heritage, I studied how ancient craftsmen represented landscapes in paintings and porcelain, interpreting mountains and water through poetic expressions.
As a living artist, I question how I perceive and review landscapes through my materials, firing methods, and presentation. I combined stone cast powder plaster and Royale porcelain for this work. Traditionally, plaster is used to create mould and discarded afterward. However, I chose to preserve the plaster as part of the sculpture, using it as a base to support the porcelain. This juxtaposition creates a dialogue between the flat porcelain surface and the three-dimensional form.
I pressed my fingers into the clay, leaving traces of my touch. I then poured plaster into the clay form to create the base. The imprints of my fingers are visible along the bottom edge, adding a personal signature to the piece.
My landscape sculpture is not a direct representation of nature; it is a man-made interpretation. For its display, I placed the sculpture on an aluminum plate to create a sense of ambiguity. The reflective surface blurs the line between the real and the surreal, serving as both a mirror and a platform. This decision emphasizes the concept of in-betweenness, symbolizing the gap between my two cultural identities.
Through this work, I invite viewers to engage in a dialogue about navigating cultural identity. Rather than providing answers, I use the landscape as a means of exploration—a reflection of my experiences living between two cultures and two systems of thought. This is my way of reconstructing cultural identity through ceramic practice, merging Taiwanese and British perspectives in a personal expression of belonging.
