Latest news with #Jingdezhen
The Star
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Roundup: London design biennale builds cross-cultural platform for Global South
LONDON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 London Design Biennale was launched Thursday at the city's historic Somerset House, under the theme "Surface Reflections." Now in its 25th year, the Biennale features over 30 pavilions from five continents, providing a cross-cultural platform for collaboration for designers from all over the world. Somerset House, once home to civil servants, is also celebrating its 25th anniversary as an arts institution. The historic site now houses over 2,000 artisans and innovators. "What many don't realize is that beneath the surface, Somerset House is a home for cultural innovators," Director Jonathan Reekie from the Somerset House Trust told Xinhua. "We sit at the intersection of art, design, and technology. That spirit of creative collision is what powers both our program and this Biennale." This year, led by Artistic Director Samuel Ross MBE, the Biennale has turned its focus toward the Global South. One of the centerpieces for the Global South pavilion is "Wura" -- a shimmering installation by Danielle Alakija, CEO of the SOLI Group. Composed of over 3,000 individually drilled cowrie shells from five different species, and 1,000 meters of gold chain, the piece evokes the textures of fishing nets and colonial-era trade routes, as well as indigenous currencies. In the "Silk Road Teplo Pop-Up Store," Timur Kamalov and Charos Kamalov, co-founders of Teplo, bring together work from over 300 independent brands across Central Asia, 95 percent of which are led by women. "The Silk Road is not just about silk. It's about cultures that stretch from China to the Mediterranean," said Timur Kamalov. Meanwhile, Charos Kamalov noted: "Design can be such a bridge for people coming together. When we show these crafts in a city like London, we create a common language -- a way to connect and start meaningful conversations." China is represented at the exhibition by a pavilion set up by Jingdezhen Ceramic University, which blends ancient porcelain-making with cutting-edge technologies like ai glazes and 3D printing. Professor Xiong Jingjing, who leads the university's product design program, told Xinhua: "London is a city with a deep artistic heritage, and porcelain from Jingdezhen is a medium for global cultural discourse." "We aim to offer more than the porcelain which people already associate with Jingdezhen -- we want to show that Jingdezhen also leads in innovation, craftsmanship, and color technology. This exhibition is about exchange -- just like how two people from different countries talk about food and start a conversation, our porcelain becomes a bridge," said Xiong. For Amir Berbic, dean of VCUarts in Qatar, participation in the Biennale is an "expansion of the narrative beyond typical canons." "It's wonderful to see more participation from the Global South," he said. VCUarts' "Matter Diplopia" pavilion features work by students and faculty that draws from the Qatari context, while engaging in global discourse. Ross summarized his vision for this year's Biennale as "holistic design for change." He added: "Every ilk, continent, nation, and culture has its own virtue, its own cadence that should be celebrated and moved into the remit of design."
The Star
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Türkiye, China open Jingdezhen porcelain flagship store in Istanbul
ISTANBUL, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye and China on Saturday inaugurated the first official Jingdezhen porcelain flagship store in Istanbul, marking a step forward in cultural and economic ties through a strategic partnership between the Chinese city and Türkiye's historic ceramic hub, Iznik. The boutique, located in Istanbul's upscale Fenerbahce district on the Asian side of the city, showcases a curated collection of fine tableware and decorative ceramics from Jingdezhen, a city in China's Jiangxi Province renowned for producing imperial porcelain since the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The launch coincided with the signing of a cooperation agreement between Jingdezhen and Iznik, aimed at strengthening ceramic-focused exchanges between the two historic centers. The deal builds on a sister-city partnership established in 2021 and formalizes efforts to promote joint exhibitions, research, and trade initiatives. Jingdezhen, often referred to as China's "porcelain capital," has been at the heart of high-end ceramic production for over a millennium. Its abundant kaolin deposits and refined techniques helped create the translucent porcelain that came to symbolize Chinese craftsmanship and luxury across global markets. Iznik, meanwhile, rose to prominence during the 15th to 17th centuries under the Ottoman Empire, producing quartz-based pottery celebrated for its vibrant floral patterns. Influenced by Seljuk aesthetics and Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, Iznik ceramics became highly sought-after across Europe and the Islamic world.
Associated Press
10-05-2025
- Associated Press
Jiangxi Through Its Cultural Relics: Witnesses of a Millennia-old Civilization
NANCHANG, JIANGXI, CHINA, May 10, 2025 / / -- The Jiangxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism today announced a renewed effort to promote the region's extensive cultural heritage on the international stage. Through a series of landmark initiatives, Jiangxi is highlighting its millennia-old civilization with globally significant archaeological discoveries, world-class porcelain craftsmanship, traditional medicine practices, and innovative preservation technologies. Located in eastern China, Jiangxi Province is home to a wide range of cultural assets reflecting the depth and continuity of Chinese civilization. From ancient imperial tombs and traditional Chinese medicine markets to digital restoration of rare ceramics, Jiangxi's cultural institutions are bridging the past with the future. Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum Leads in AI-Based Heritage Restoration Jingdezhen, internationally recognized as the 'Porcelain Capital of the World,' has produced fine ceramics for over a thousand years. The Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum, opened in 2020, is pioneering digital restoration techniques. Using AI algorithms and naked-eye 3D scanning, the museum has restored and archived over 1,000 ancient ceramic fragments—establishing the world's first digital 'gene bank' of historical porcelain. Gao'an Museum Hosts One of the Largest Collections of Yuan Dynasty Porcelain The Gao'an Museum houses 20 complete blue-and-white porcelain pieces from the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), one of the richest collections of its kind globally. These finely crafted artifacts illustrate the technical maturity of the time and serve as evidence of early maritime Silk Road exchanges between China and the wider world. Zhangshu Revitalizes Traditional Chinese Medicine and Cultural Tourism Known since the Han Dynasty as a center of Chinese medicine, Zhangshu continues its role as a key hub in the herbal trade. The 'Zhangbang' techniques—a national intangible cultural heritage—preserve traditional preparation methods such as slicing, frying, calcining, and pill making. In 2013, Zhangshu was designated the 'Medicine Capital of China,' and in 2017, the Jiangxi provincial government launched a revitalization strategy combining traditional Chinese medicine with cultural tourism. Today, the city hosts annual trade fairs, a TCM museum, and a branded tourist route: 'See TCM, Visit Zhangshu, Savor the Medicine Capital.' Marquis of Haihun Tomb Offers Rare Insights into Han Dynasty Aristocracy Discovered in Nanchang, the Tomb of the Marquis of Haihun has been called one of China's most important archaeological finds in recent years. Dating back over 2,000 years, the tomb contains more than 10,000 artifacts, including 480 gold pieces weighing a total of 120 kilograms. Belonging to Liu He, the briefly reigning grandson of Emperor Wu, the tomb offers valuable insight into the political and funerary customs of the Western Han aristocracy. Technology and Tourism Combine to Preserve and Share Jiangxi's Heritage Jiangxi is integrating cutting-edge digital tools into heritage presentation. The Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum and the Haihunhou Tomb Museum both employ immersive technologies—including virtual reality, motion sensing, and light-based effects—to enhance visitor engagement and historical education. 'Jiangxi is committed to making its cultural relics accessible, understandable, and globally appreciated,' said a spokesperson from the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. 'Our heritage is a living story, and we are proud to share it with the world through a combination of tradition and innovation.' For media inquiries, interviews, or high-resolution images, please contact us. Mike Qin Media Strategy Global, LLC email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
