Page 5 - 荷器 林智斌工藝邀請展

Preface

Director-General’s Preface

Lin Jhih-bing is arguably the most notable ceramicist here in Taichung City. His passion for this art form began to blossom while he was
in college. He has poured himself into making enchanting ceramic creations with locally sourced kaolin over the past decade or so. His
pieces have earned him numerous awards from various arts and culture agencies throughout Taiwan. The Taichung City Cultural Affairs
Bureau invited Lin to host a solo exhibition in Dadun Cultural Center, featuring some of his most iconic ceramic and sculptural pieces
created in the past few years. This exhibition serves as Lin’s career milestone that acknowledges his rich contribution to artistic and
cultural development in Taichung.
Teapots make up the very core of tea set, the production and development history can be traced back to ages ago. A teapot is the
encapsulation of the art of tea, craftsmanship, on which a cornucopia of industrial and cultural insights stands. That’s what makes tea set
so culturally valuable. After graduating from the Department of Sculpture at National Taiwan University of Arts, Lin incorporated what
he learned about three-dimensional creations on campus into his own imagination of what teapots should be, thus dissolving the
stereotypical, preconceived functionality of teapots. Further, he integrated the imageries from nature to lend his teapot creations a kinetic,
lyrical quality.
Lin’s pieces are predominantly themed after his perceptions and encounters with nature. There’s a reason why lotuses and rocks are tapped
as the motif of this exhibition. The blossom and withering of lotuses signify the wax and wane of life. The rise of fall of this cycle encourages
viewers to ponder the principle predetermined by the Creator. Rocks, on the other hand, become the pillar of the natural environment
after the constant pressurization from different sources. The two elements, though polar-opposite, symbolize rich emotions and resilience,
respectively, while celebrating the balance and diversity of nature. The artist also recreated natural landscapes with assembled pieces,
making the teapot more than just a stationary object: it’s being accorded the status of a storyteller who sees the worldview and artistry
through a unique lens, guiding viewers to explore the boom and bust cycle of all creatures in nature.

Every teapot provides a window on the vastness of the universe. Lin Jhih-bing marries life with nature by virtue of the artistry in teapot,
to inspire us to contemplate the cycle of life. “The Vessels of Lotus: Solo Exhibition by Lin Jhih-Bing” is a roadmap for all to appreciate the
difference and sameness of individuals in our community, and respect each other with humility, as he ingeniously incorporates natural
elements into the tea set. You are all invited to visit Da Dun Cultural Center this fall to appreciate lifescape from a teapot-inspired
perspective, check out Lin Jhih-bing’s reinterpretation of tea art and crafts, and how an ancient cultural is given a new life under his
masterful touch.

Director-General of the Cultural Affairs Bureau Chen, Chia-Chun
Taichung City Government

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