'The title of the exhibition is meant to express the abstract idea of the relationship between the works and the space, the viewers, and between the two different cultures of tradition and modernity,' says Chinese artist Liu Jianhua of 'Between', his new exhibition at London's Pace Gallery.
Shanghai-based Jianhua studied his craft for 14 years at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen, where he learnt how to craft new contemporary forms using ancient techniques, transforming paper, leaves, bones and ink drops into fragile, minimalist sculptures that creep across the walls and floors.
The works on display at Pace include Trace, first exhibited at Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, where a splattering of glossy black porcelain drips based on principles of Chinese calligraphy appear to trickle down the white walls; and the Untitled plates – a series of wall-mounted celadon discs that are tied together with a continuing thin horizontal line.
Timed to coincide with the 18th annual instalment of Asian Art in London, the show is Jianhua's first at the gallery, as well as in the UK.
Appearing more as drips of tar than porcelain, the illusion created in Traces plays with the delicate nature Jianhua’s chosen materials. Pictured: Traces, 2011
Here, Liu was inspired by a Chinese calligraphic stroke called the ’wulouhe’, which literally translates as ’stains caused by leaking roofs’. Pictured: Traces, 2011
The scale of these pieces is impressively, unexpectedly large, encompassing full rooms in the gallery
Porcelain is Jianhua’s material of choice largely thanks to his 14 years of training in the art at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen. Pictured left: Untitled, 2011. Right: Blank Pages, 2009
Jianhua’s Blank Paper series may seem like just that – but in fact, the blank rectangles are actually made of translucently-thin, highly worked porcelain
Pictured left: Blank Pages, 2009. Right: Untitled, 2011. ’Between’ is on view until 23 December
INFORMATION
’Between’ is on view until 23 December. For more information, visit Pace Gallery’s website
Photography courtesy of Pace Gallery
ADDRESS
Pace Gallery
6 Burlington Gardens
London, W1S 3ET
TELEPHONE
44.203 206 7600
-
Six spectacular pavilions to see at the London Design Biennale 2025More than 35 countries responded to the theme 'Surface Reflections.' Here are our favourites
-
The Moomins take New York with a debut US exhibitionIn time for her beloved characters' 80th anniversary, the work of Finnish artist Tove Jansson will go on display at the Brooklyn Public Library
-
Twin Peaks’ Double R Diner is coming to London (for a day)Mubi marks Twin Peaks’ 35th anniversary with pop-up diner and streaming release
-
11 things that caught our eye at Clerkenwell Design Week 2025The Wallpaper* team bring you highlights from London’s Clerkenwell Design Week (20-22 May) – from public installations to product launches and a biscuit bar
-
‘R for Repair’ at London Design Festival displays broken objects, re-formedIn the second half of a two-part exhibition and as part of London Design Festival 2022, ‘R for Repair’ at the V&A displays broken objects, re-formed
-
‘Finding quality through the act of making’: Pearson Lloyd celebrates 25 years of designPearson Lloyd’s show ‘Change Making’ reflects on past designs from its archives, showcasing the influences on and evolution of the studio, from furniture design to the NHS
-
Tom Dixon marks his studio's 20 years with a show of design experimentsMushroom, cork, steel coral and more: Tom Dixon showcases an overview of his design experiments as he celebrates his practice's 20 years
-
Porro unveils new London showroom at Coal OfficeLondon Design Festival 2022: industrial architecture meets pure geometries in the new Porro showroom, taking over a space within Tom Dixon’s Coal Office to showcase the brand’s systems and furniture
-
Vitra unveils new London home in the Tramshed, ShoreditchLondon Design Festival 2022: after a year-long renovation, Vitra opens the door to its new showroom in the heart of Shoreditch
-
Mudlarking beside the River Thames inspires The New Craftsmen’s makersLondon Design Festival 2022: The New Craftsmen’s new collection, ‘Claylarks’, features work from a group of creatives inspired by a River Thames mudlarking expedition
-
One tree, ten designers: SCP presents The One Tree Project at London Design FestivalLondon Design Festival 2022: SCP enlisted ten British designers to create furniture and objects from a felled ash tree from founder Sheridan Coakley's Hampshire garden
