On October 8, guided by Creative Industry Committee of Ceramic Production Area of China Cultural Industry Association and organized by the China Ceramic Industry Association and Guangdong Shiwan Ceramics Museum, the final evaluation of the 2023 "Shiwan Cup" Emerging Artist Ceramic Sculpture Competition was held at the Ceramic Maker Center in Shiwan Park. Ryan Matthew Mitchell won the first prize in the competition with his work Considered.

Considered by Ryan Matthew Mitchell

Theming "Beyond the Image - Interpreting Clay Nature and Multi-dimensional Generation", the event was open to young ceramic artists, art school teachers and students, ceramic artists, designers, and cross-industry creators from both home and abroad, focusing on ceramic sculpture, with clay or porcelain as the main material.

Compared to previous ones, this year's competition broke through the limitations on the form of artworks, encouraging creators with a contemporary perspective to explore ceramic art, advocating for the inheritance and innovation of ceramic craftsmanship, and promoting the integration of works with diverse cultures. A total of 1,519 sets of entries from all over the country and the world were collected for this competition, submitted by 1,242 participants, making it the highest in terms of the number of participants and works in the history of the competition.

Breaking Dawn by Lin Peilin

Adhering to the vision of "ceramics going global", the event extended an invitation to ceramic artists from all over the world, actively strengthening exchanges and cultural integration at international and regional levels. According to statistics, in addition to domestic participants, the competition has received applications from young ceramic artists from more than ten countries including the United States, South Korea, Estonia, Denmark, Japan, Norway, and Canada. The total number of entries from these countries is more than 100 sets, accounting for 7% of the overall number of works, highlighting internationalization of the event.

Inverting Dreams by Yao Wenjun

At the final evaluation of the competition, the expert review panel comprehensively evaluated all the works in five major aspects, including modeling effect, glaze effect, craftsmanship maturity, cultural connotation, and expressive techniques. In the end, a total of 6 prizes including first, second, and third places were voted, along with 10 Emerging Artist Awards and 20 Excellence Awards.

My Childhood by Liang Hong

According to Pi Daojian, curator of the event, this year's "Shiwan Cup" competition has attracted the participation of young ceramic artists from more than ten countries and regions, with the number of participants reaching a historical high. The selected works with higher quality fully than ever showcased the ceramic achievements of young talented artists, playing a leading role in terms of the emerging ceramic art.

Reporter | Christy

Revisor | Eddie, Eleanor

Photo | Guangdong Shiwan Pottery Museum