“Little Monk”, terra cotta, wood fired, hand built, 28”, Naidee Changmoh, a Thai ceramic artist who is known for his “monk” sculptures. His works are large scale, and has created his own technique in which he pinches coils of clay into large forms. He created “Naidee Village” in Thailand, which is made of 9 cement/clay huts. The village took 3 years to make by hand with only one assistant. He has exhibited his works in Australia, Thailand, and China. This marks the first time Naidee’s work will be on exhibit in the USA.
Featuring the works of 35 leading ceramics artists from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, “Earth and Fire: The 3rd Southeast Asian Ceramics Symposium”opens in the Vulcan Gallery at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia from Friday, September 12 and remains on view through October 19, 2014. Editor’s note: This will mark the very first time that this group of Southeast Asian ceramic artists will have direct contact with an audience in the United States.
“vase”, stoneware, wood fired, wheel thrown, 20”, by Jon Pettyjohn, a wood fire ceramic artist from the Philippines, and is the pioneer of contemporary Philippine ceramic artists. He has educated and inspired many of the next generation of studio potters. He has been making kilns and pots since the 70’s. He is known for his functional works and for his large globular wood fired jars. Recently, Jon has been conducting workshops in Japan.
Ceramics has played an important role in the Southeast Asian region, where daily life and the use of pottery have always been intertwined. Bound by geographic and cultural ties, 10 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, today make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional bloc formed to reduce conflicts and achieve harmony in that part of the world.
“Let’s Talk”, stoneware, salt fired, hand built, 48”, by Hadrian Mendoza, a ceramic artist from the Philippines and currently resides in Virginia. He is a resident artist at the Workhouse. He has curated and organized the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Southeast Asian ceramic conferences held in the Philippines, China, and the USA. His works are permanent collections in museums and institutions in the Philippines, USA, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Cambodia. He has written several articles for Ceramics Art and Perception magazine. He has also recieved grants from the Toyota Foundation Japan, Futo Industries (China), and the Asian Cultural Council (NY), all of which have supported his Southeast Asian ceramics conferences. www.hadrianmendozapottery.com.
A public opening reception with food, music and short artist talks will take place on Thursday, October 9 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. In addition, there will be a three day symposium beginning on Friday, October 10 through 12th, 2014, with 12 ceramic artists from Thailand, Philippines and Singapore who will demonstrate their techniques and present lectures.
“shell monster”, porcelain, oxidation fired, hand built, 18”, by Vipoo Srivilasa, who is a Thai ceramic artist who currently resides in Australia. His works are permanent collections in museums and institutions in Australia, USA, Canada, Tasmania, and New South Wales. His work has been published in many international magazines and books. His works reflect the traditional blue and white wares of Thailand, in which he interprets into his own style. He is an important figure in connecting the Thai and Australian contemporary ceramic artists. www.vipoo.com.
A detailed schedule of the lectures and workshops associated with the symposium will be online at www.WorkhouseArts.org.
