Chinese ceramics across 5,000 years
New exhibition showcases over 150 ceramic wares from China, beginning with the Neolithic period
IT IS astonishing what pure passion can do: A group of 17 collectors of rare Chinese ceramics has come together to mount a notable public exhibition of over 150 pieces dating back to as early as the Neolithic period. The pieces take the viewer on a journey across thousands of years, including the Han, Tang and Yuan Dynasty eras, when the medium underwent significant changes and developments.
All 17 collectors are members of the Society For Chinese Ceramics Studies (SCCS), and though the society was formed in 2004, it has never mounted an exhibition of this scale before. Many of these pieces have never been displayed in public because the collectors prefer to maintain a low profile. But a growing sense that the public needs to be better educated on Chinese traditions has prompted them to put aside their reservations.
There are many gems here. Starting with the Neolithic period, the show has two medium-sized vessels from the Majiayao (3300-2000BC) and Longshan (3000-1900BC) cultures, each boasting distinct patterns such as net, wicker or swastika. There is also a large amphora with a saddle-shaped mouth from the Siwa (1100-900BC) culture, one of the largest of its kind ever found.
