Menlo Studios, Jingdezhen, China
Sketchbooks, drawings and observations developed during Vic's residency at Menlo Studios, Jingdezhen, China.
Vic spent a month on a ceramic residency in Jingdezhen, China, the home of Chinese porcelain for over 1,000 years. The residency offered an incredible opportunity for Vic to immerse himself into the city and study the people, culture and production process.
Through sketchbooks, visual journals and photography, Vic chronicled the trip. The daily workshops at the residency at Menlo Studios were an exploration in porcelain, making, production, glazes and sculpting. Each day offered a new opportunity to build and incorporate his illustrative and typographic craftsmanship onto ceramic pieces.
Vic travelled with his wife, Helen from Jingdezhen to Huangshen, the home of Chinese ink and calligraphy. Visiting factories that still produces ink in the traditional way. Watching artisans in both Jingdezhen and Huangshen was inspirational to see skilled craftspeople still embracing traditional methods.
Jingdezhen had a profound effect on Vic, seeing so many ceramics discarded from breakages or over firing. On his return to London, Vic began a new body of work that takes broken ceramic plates and reimagines a new story continued from the image on the broken plate. Alongside new contemporary takes on traditional plate designs that are a comment on social behaviour to fast food.
Observations from Jingdezhen
Works created during the residency
Residency Details
Host organisation:
Menlo Studios Artist Residency
Location:
Jingdezhen, China
Year :
2025
Outcome:
Drawing, Ceramics & Observational Studies.
The residency forms part of an ongoing body of work exploring people, place and craft through drawing, observation and storytelling.
