Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Five Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics to be displayed at The Crow Collection of Asian Art

By Pegasus News wire

Photo provided by the Trammel Crow Collection of Asian Art

Centuries become months as Five Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics flies through the Dallas Arts District. On display from the Robin and R. Randolph Richmond, Jr. Collection will be over 100 ancient works from the Neolithic through the Yuan dynasties, presented in chronological order. The exhibition will show in The Crow Collection of Asian Art from Sept. 29 through Jan. 6.

Dating back to 4000 B.C., the exhibition traces the development of Chinese ceramics through a chronological presentation. It will showcase the extraordinary achievements of Chinese potters.

“So much of the pottery we see today uses the innovative techniques from the ancient Chinese cultures,” said Amy Hofland, Director of The Crow Collection of Asian Art. “We are celebrating the works that have shaped the art of today.”

The collection begins with ceramic pieces from the Neolithic and early dynastic eras. These vessels, from 4000 B.C. to 200 B.C., are most commonly known for their sculptural forms and bold painted decorations, such as the Large Jar with Paired Handles and Tall Cylindrical Neck that will be displayed. The ceramic pieces during these eras were crafted by nearly 60 indigenous cultures, each characterized by distinctive pottery styles.

The next eras presented, the Han through the Five Dynasties, focus largely on tomb ceramics and the perfection of the celadon glaze –– a type of pottery with a pale green color. These wares were created through 970 A.D.

Much of the Han ceramics, such as the Monumental Horse and the Pair of Stands in the Form of Mythical Animals, were surrogates for the actual humans, animals or other objects needed to ensure that a tomb’s inhabitant preserved their social and economic status in the afterlife.

The exhibition ends with the subtle monochromes and exuberantly decorated wares from the Song (960-1279) and Yuan eras (1279-1368), primarily used by the literati elite. The elegant ivory, celadon, black and brown glazes were all derived from manipulations of iron oxide during the glaze creation. This process leaves the decorative design completely unpredictable, with the shape of each work dictating how the glaze color will turn out. When the pottery is fired in a kiln, an oven used to harden the clay, the glaze slightly slides down the shape causing the glaze to be thicker in some areas, inevitably creating unique designs.

Five Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics will run Sept. 29 – Jan. 6 at The Crow Collection of Asian Art. The museum is free to the general public, and located at 2010 Flora Street in the heart of the Dallas Arts District. It is open 10am-5pm Tuesday through Sunday, closed on Mondays and open late until 9pm on Thursdays.

Source: The Crow Collection of Asian Art

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