East-West Cultural Fusion

In the National Art Museum of China, Beijing, a contemporary ceramic exhibition titled The Blending and Interaction of Civilization: an Exhibition of the East-West Dialogue in Ceramic Art included a strong reputable international cast. Four well-known ceramists were invited: Jacques Kaufmann, professor at Applied Art School in Vevey, Switzerland and immediate past-president of the International Academy of Ceramics (AIC) (current president at the time of the exhibition); Wayne Higby, Professor at Alfred University, former vice-President of the International Academy of Ceramics (AIC); Zhu Legeng, Professor and Dean at the Research Institute of Art Creation, Chinese National Academy of Arts, and Rokubey Kiyomizu VIII, professor at Kyoto University of Art & Design.

The exhibition was curated by Professor Fang Lili, Director of the Institute of Anthropology of Art at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, alongside academic advisors Shimada Fumio, Professor at the Department of Ceramics in Tokyo University of the Arts and Dr. Andrew Masiki, Professor of Art History of Asia in University of Kentucky, US. The exhibition was divided between the Document Hall, and the East Hall and West Hall, utilizing various display methods that included works, text, images and videos.

It was the first time China has held an international exhibition of contemporary ceramic art of such high profile. In