UCCA Clay is the creation of Kengo Kuma and Associates Architects, helmed by the world-renowned Japanese architect.
UCCA Clay, the fourth venue in the center for contemporary art's constellation of museums, opened last week in Yixing, Jiangsu Province.
Following its first Beijing flagship, a non-profit museum in the heart of the 798 Art District that launched in 2007, UCCA also operates UCCA Dune in Beidaihe, Hebei Province, UCCA Edge in Shanghai. UCCA Clay becomes the first contemporary art museum in Yixing, China's "City of Ceramics."
Sited at the center of the newly revitalized Ceramic Factory No. 2 Cultural District, UCCA Clay was created by Kengo Kuma and Associates Architects, helmed by the world-renowned Japanese architect. It features distinctive facades made of hand-fired terracotta tiles, and the 2,400-square-meter building is Kuma's first built work to use clay as a primary material. Its color intricately refers to Yixing's famed zisha, or purple clay.
Sergio Gurioli, Italy, "Gruppo," 1986, Ceramic, Special Judge's Award of The 1st International Ceramics Competition Mino, Ceramic Arts Category
The opening exhibition highlights the versatility and contemporary creativity of ceramics.
The inaugural exhibition "The Ways of Clay: Select Award-Winning Works from the International Ceramics Festival Mino of the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu, Japan," is a major collection of contemporary ceramic art that reinterprets the traditional medium through revitalized and modern perspectives.
Curated by UCCA director Philip Tinari and UCCA assistant curator Zhang Yao, the exhibition features 69 award-winning ceramic works by 65 artists from 17 countries, selected by the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu, Japan for the International Ceramics Festival Mino.
Bodil Muntz, Denmark, "Ceramic," 1998, Ceramic, Gold Award of The 5th International Ceramics Competition Mino
The exhibition is an exploration of the ceramics medium and creative diversity centered around three central themes: The organic shaping of natural forms, the geometric transformation of space to surface, and a reflective engagement with historical iconography and spirituality. Unfolding in three chapters, this opening exhibition highlights the versatility and contemporary creativity in the ceramic medium, setting the stage for future exhibitions and programs and putting innovative practices and creative methodologies in ceramic art production into a global context.
If you go:
Date: Through February 23, 10am-7pm, closed on Mondays
Ticket: 60 yuan
Address: West Entrance, Creative & Cultural Ceramic Avenue, Dingshu Town, Yixing, Jiangsu Province
江苏省宜兴市丁蜀镇陶二厂文化街区