This 1989 work is from the “Moth Series” of ceramics created by Canadian artist Grace Nickel. Nickel’s art focuses on the relationship between the natural and the artificial. Inorganic ceramics are used to construct organic organisms, such as moths and trees, and these are incorporated into traditional ceramic techniques and vessel shapes, such as vases or architectural columns. This moth-shaped vase is one of her earliest works, and its texture and colors are intricate and vivid. She explores the life cycles of living things. Here, she captures the short-lived moth in the stability and permanence of ceramic materials, and in doing so she probes the limits of materials and craft. Nickel is now a nationally honored artist in Canada, and has innovated in ceramics in numerous ways. Ecology has been a continual concern in her works.

The Arabia Company was founded at the end of the 19th century. In 1932, it set up an art department and hired artists to work in the factory with the aim of blending artistic creation and design of mass-produced products. From the 20th century up to the present day, the Arabia Company has not only been Finland’s best-known ceramics manufacturer, but has also been symbolic of Nordic design. Kati Tuominen-Niittylä joined Arabia to work on product design in 1980. She had just graduated from art school, but was already one of Finland’s leading independent ceramic artists. She has always been in pursuit of minimalism and practicality. The majority of her ceramic works have a simple and refined shape, with smooth lines. Subtle earth tones are used to highlight this simplicity. At the same time, she strives for perfection in the craftsmanship, and the clay has smoothness and delicacy. The "White Moon" plate may appear simple at first, but its rim is subtly deepened into the shape of a crescent moon. This edge, depending on the lighting, casts shadows that resemble different phases of the moon on the plate’s surface. Beyond its functional use for dining, it also serves as a decorative piece, adding the charm of indoor "moon-gazing" that shifts with the light.

Ado studied oil painting, and has applied these painterly skills to ceramic creations. He specializes in box-shaped pottery in various shapes. Surfaces are painted with elegant and refined geometric designs or patterns from flora and fauna. This Requiem is his representative work, consisting of two rectangular ceramic boxes shaped like coffins. In producing them, Ado used a technique called tatara. This technique involves cutting clay into slabs and then reshaping them into vessels, rather than shaping the clay on a wheel. The resulting pottery has sharp, firm lines. The surfaces of both terracotta boxes are unglazed, and have been treated with slip to give them a matte texture resembling stone. The speckled inside surface hints at the traces of life that once was. This results from the artist’s deliberate addition of such materials as ash, straw, and charcoal during the firing process. The other box is covered in black paint with a withered sunflower, symbolizing the repose of the soul. The two are juxtaposed, like a requiem performed by the artist in clay.

Yanai Yuichi was an outstanding designer of electronic products, but after 2010 he became concerned about consumer culture and the high frequency of new product iterations. So he switched to the study of ceramic design. Ceramics have a long history, known for their durability and the unique unpredictability of the firing process. With this in mind, he has aimed at creating ceramic works that will not be phased out over time. An interest in hospitality led him to focus on designing ceramic tableware that is both functional and enriching. Yanai’s white ceramic collection is called “landscape ware,” and at the heart of the design are innovative forms that echo the lines of the natural landscape. The design of this Snowy Hills set is inspired by snow-covered hilly scenes, using the color and delicate texture of white porcelain. There is a smooth natural transition between the edge of the plate and the depression on the plate where food is placed, resembling the ridge left by wind blowing over a snowy mound. Although each plate in the set looks one-of-a-kind, this is just an effect of light and shadow. In terms of storage, these plates are fully stackable.

This set of pots by Japanese artist Makoto Komatsu is an example of a design that balances aesthetics and function. From coffee pots to soy sauce jars, they range in size and functionality, but all are composed of smooth cylinders and hemispheres. At their core, they are constructed using the most refined geometric language. The artist has deliberately downplayed the design of the spout, which simplifies the overall shape, and reduces the risk of breakage during the firing process. This improves efficiency in the production process. The polished finish of the pot and the matt texture of the lid form a subtle contrast, creating a sense of visual hierarchy and detail into this simple and practical design.

This work by Danish artist Bodil Manz features colorful decoration and a multi-faceted geometric form, created using the nerikomi (neriage) technique. The outside surface employs a black and white geometric pattern. Right angles extend from orderly horizontal lines in a varied pattern, echoing the angular structure of the vessel and creating a visual effect that is rhythmic and fluid. The interior is glazed in a bright yellow color, further emphasizing the thinness of the body. The light seems to penetrate through the thin surface into the interior, creating an interesting visual tension against the pattern of the outside of the vessel.

Repetition, variation, and contrast are the core concepts in this series of works by Austrian artist Gabriele Hain. The 12 ceramic cups all have the same basic shape, but the artist has derived 12 different possibilities by adjusting and modifying the details. A series of patterns and textures is created, from a plain minimalist palette, through combinations of varying techniques, such as addition of color, engraving, and hollowing, all the while preserving continuity. These works explore the form and decorative quality of the objects, and represent a dynamic dialogue between materials and craft.

As its name suggests, this piece has “fallen in” in a soft, subsiding texture. With no indication of the material, it may be difficult to recognize this immediately as a ceramic work. Artist Yoshikawa Shuji attempts to go beyond the observer’s preconceived notions of ceramics, expanding its expressive use as a sculptural material. The technique of deliberately using black pottery enables the sense of a downward indentation, guiding the viewer’s imagination of the object sinking inward and expanding. On the other hand, the artist also takes environmental protection into consideration, abandoning the traditional low-temperature glaze techniques that rely heavily on lead and heavy metals. The artist turned instead to more ecologically friendly black pottery, expressing a symbiosis of art and nature.

In Collage of Porcelain, multiple layers of white clay are superimposed on white porcelain, and different shades and glosses of white are layered atop one other. Covered with delicate folds that appear to have been randomly generated, it appears as a white abstract collage that has broken free from a dependence on color and figuration. The gaze is fixed on the simple and pure picture plane, tacitly perceiving the texture and feel of the ceramic, gradually discarding the impression in their mind about the functionality of ceramic objects, and concentrating on feeling the abstract charm of this material. This work is perhaps reminiscent of Russian Suprematist painter Kasimir Malevich’s White on White, which pushes white to the extreme, and is a classic example of maximizing expression by minimizing color.

This irregularly shaped bowl is richly decorated with color gradations and patterns. But this effect is not achieved by glazing. Rather, patterns are formed by combining different colors of clay. This decorative technique is called nerikomi, and originated in China during the Tang Dynasty and then transmitted to Japan. The artist designs the pattern in advance, and then mixes clay in different colors, stacking or inlaying them. The cross-section then shows various patterns, and these designed cross-sections are then fired in their final shape. The final work is usually not painted with colors, but only a protective glaze is applied. British artist Dorothy Feibleman exemplifies this masterful use of the cloisonné ceramic technique in this work. The asymmetrical shape gives the entire vessel a sense of upward movement, while also creating an interesting interplay with the colorful horizontal and dotted lines on the inside and outside walls.

This Ceramic Compound Vessel, designed by Czech artist Milan Kout, completely defies the usual expectations of ceramic containers. The concave shape combines organic and geometric contours, with flowing lines and an openwork surface, creating a light, airy, and spacious feeling, suggesting large-scale Futurist architecture. While retaining its basic functionality as a container or bowl, this piece breaks free from the functional limitations of the object. By focusing on spatial form, the independent expression of ceramic materials as an abstract sculptural language is expanded, and the boundaries between craftsmanship and art are blurred.

Canadian artist James Kemp’s Morphology 2 consists of two parts: an organic shape suggesting accumulation at both ends, and a geometric structure folded in the middle. Both parts are made of red clay, but they produce completely different visual impressions, from the surface texture to the line shape, juxtaposing extrusion and stretching, in dynamic tension. The reddish earth tones create a feeling of being in the earth, while the combined organic forms and geometric shapes recall geological structures or organisms mixed with human intervention. This also reflects the artist’s concern with the instability and fluidity of the natural environment.

In this work Untitled, Hungarian artist Jáger Margit applies ancient Greek architectural elements to her design of a tea set in this work, reminiscent of the neoclassical style that swept Europe in the 19th century. The tea set consists of a teapot, a coffee pot and a teacup with a saucer. The outer walls of the three vessels are uniformly designed with Ionic columns. Elegantly decorated with grooves, the swirling pattern on the upper edge is based on the Greek motif of the staff of Hermes. The lid’s handle is cleverly designed to resemble a Greek figural sculpture. Jáger Margit has re-combined classical architectural elements in a harmonious and innovative way in this tea set. She has brought her interpretation of classical Greek style to modern aesthetics and practical design.

Hong Kong artist Wong Sita's work Hundred Rice Bowls consists of bowls of rice shaped from clay, in varying colors and patterns. They are displayed individually, or stacked in twos and threes. In this work, the artist returns to the inextricable relationship between ceramic vessels and Chinese food culture, and extends it to a broader exploration of cultural traditions. Rice is a staple food in East Asia, and the rice bowl has never been simply a food vessel, but also a carrier of culture. A high mound of rice in a bowl often symbolizes prosperity and abundance. The stacking and combination of multiple bowls also reflects the lifestyle of farming civilizations living together in families, and the importance of family and collectivism. Each grouping of these rice bowls has a different variation in color and pattern, which also conveys the artist's thoughts on the relationship between cultural community and individual experience.

Japanese artist Nitta Hiromi’s work, Affordance of Nails, Based on Emotions, uses ceramics to create a series of white and black nails. The white nails, arranged in a square, create a sense of order, while the black nails are randomly scattered on the opposite side. Dispersal amidst the white squares produces an intrusive effect. Through the stark contrast between the two black and white groups, the artist combines the different images represented by the nails: scattered nails imply sharp danger, while gathered nails make a connection with functionality. This enhances the two colors conveyance of radically distinct emotions and perceptions. The term "affordance" in the title comes from cognitive psychology and refers to the inherent properties of an object that prompt perception and action. It depends not only on the object itself but also on the individual interacting with it. The artist interprets the affordance of a nail as its ability to bridge the internal and external. By using nails, the artist creates an abstract scene: the self's capacity to adapt internally to its environment is shaped by various emotions. At times, emotions help us maintain rationality and order, enabling this adaptive ability; at other times, they erode us, preventing the "nails" from fulfilling its intended function.

The work Gruppo by the Italian artist Sergio Gurioli shows a group of twisted or melting violins. The realism of the piece creates doubt as to whether it is made of ceramic, interrupting the traditional perception of the violin as a solid, stable instrument. Gurioli often uses this technique of seemingly impossible transformation in his ceramic creations. He deconstructs and reconstructs everyday objects and symbols to create new, emotionally charged works of art. This work is inspired by the novel The Faience Violin by the French writer Champfleury, which tells the story of collectors who are caught up in competition and intrigue over a ceramic violin. Gruppo is an invitation to think about the complex relationship between art, music, and cultural expression, and to gain a deeper appreciation of the resonances and collisions between different art forms.

The Italian artist Romano Mazzini received his artistic education at the National Academy of Ceramic Art in Faenza, the birthplace of traditional Italian majolica. He has continually focused on creation of ceramic sculptures, most often employing terracotta clay. A very important feature of Mazzini's work is the exploration of the balance between solid and “open” forms. He constantly alternates between a compact solid space and a hollow structure. The work in this exhibition was created in the 1990s and it reflects his interest in “citizens and cities.” His ideas for an ideal urban environment, the construction of public space, and a citizen housing system are expressed through a series of concentric terracotta spheres.

The German artist Johannes Peter-Martin Gebhardt has been creating a series of “collage sculptures” since the 1980s. He typically uses refractory bricks made of heat-resistant ceramic materials to create a refined structure, through precise structural and stress design. Because the bricks were recovered from abandoned kiln sites, their surface is covered with uneven scorch marks. The artist leaves the material in the backyard of his studio for long periods, and they become marked by the changing seasons and the growth of plants. After firing, the whole work is imbued with a unique time-specific, aged look. It is as if the work came from a primitive building lost in a garden of time and space. This conveys the artist’s philosophical meditation on the relationship between nature, time, and human creation.

Chinese artist Ma Huiyuan’s Porcelain Series presents 81 ceramic panel paintings of porcelain vessels in varying shapes and patterns. The inspiration for this series comes partly from the artist’s early experiences in learning to make ceramics. He embodies the process of shaping, glazing and firing clay in his work. In doing so, he incorporates his understanding of traditional forms from various historical periods in China, and contemporary ceramic creations from all over the world. It is a record of the diverse ecology of contemporary ceramic art. Porcelain panel paintings are a minor category in contemporary ceramic art. But Ma Huiyuan thinks this is precisely what gives this category more room for growth and possibilities.