Connecting stories of old and present ceramics...

Thematic exhibition "Traditional and modern Binh Duong ceramics" opened on May 22 will give viewers a summary of stories of old and present Binh Duong ceramics. For thousands of years, under the hands and effort of artisans, ceramics has been present in every house and recorded the story of time and humans.

Ceramic products are displayed at the exhibition.

Products associated with Binh Duong land

The purpose of the 2019 ceramics exhibition was to introduce and help the public better understand the origin and development process of Binh Duong ceramics through ages, promote the image of Binh Duong ceramics. Besides, it also encouraged the value protection and heightening of traditional handicraft villages in Binh Duong. Ceramic products indicate that the value contained in it is both physical and spiritual and also illustrate historical and cultural pictures of Binh Duong land and people.

According to Le Van Phuoc, Director of Provincial Museum, nearly 450 traditional and modern ceramic artifacts, 12 booths with ceramic artifacts about two main topics: Ceramics in material life and Ceramics in the spiritual life, were displayed on this occasion. Exhibition location included lobby area, museum hallway, and museum yard area. In particular, the thematic display area inside Provincial Museum applied artistic methods to display images on vertical surface (walls) and artifacts were arranged on pedestal in glass cabinets for visitors to easily contemplate. The exhibition included: Overview of Binh Duong ceramics, images of Binh Duong ceramics, special products and works of Binh Duong ceramics. A booth displaying some ceramic making stages was also located here for visitors to experience.

The exhibition also ensured scientific, accuracy, and systematic requirements. Selected artifacts were original ones, with clear information and at the same time must be representative objects of Binh Duong's ceramic lines.

From tradition to modern

According to Ho Minh Thien, Head of Display – Propagation Office, this was a large-scale exhibition of ceramics with abundant artifacts for the story of ceramics from 3,500-year-ago archaeological relics to current ceramics. There was an uninterrupted flow of Binh Duong ceramics that still have names, such as ceramic lines of the 1930s to Thanh Le ceramics, famous ceramic making areas, such as: Lai Thieu (Thuan An town), Tan Phuoc Khanh (Tan Uyen town), Chanh Nghia (Thu Dau Mot city).

Ceramic crafting is one of the great inventions of mankind in prehistoric times. People all around the world made this very important utensil for food and drink containing and then gradually improved, created more new types. From its initial purpose of food preservation, ceramic items expanded its usefulness in areas such as construction, religion, fine arts, to industries such as electricity, watches, processing, machines ... Despite of differences in appearance, style, pattern on each item, ceramic products is improved, effectively serving people, improving life quality. It is interesting that the majority of ceramics has really become valuable historical, cultural or artistic artifacts.

According to Mr. Thien, with Binh Duong ceramic artifacts were found in archaeological sites in Cu Lao Rua dating from 3,500 years to 3,000 years ago. Along the length of history, each stage of ceramics carried historical, cultural, artistic marks, and indicated the creativity of Binh Duong land and people. "The golden age" of Binh Duong ceramics can be mentioned is in the early 1960s, Binh Duong was famous for Thanh Le brand with modern art style, which was close to global art, satisfied requirements of fastidious markets like France, America, Germany ... The creativity and breakthrough of Thanh Le style helped Binh Duong ceramics reach the world’s market.

At the end of the twentieth century, in the early 21st century, Binh Duong ceramics entered a period of modern manufacture, technology and technique innovation, expanding into international consumption markets. Notably, Minh Long ceramics representing for High-class fine-art ceramic products, are especially loved by domestic and foreign consumers. The historical and cultural value of Binh Duong ceramics was also proved, as being chosen to host Binh Duong Ceramics Festival 2010 to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi with of "Vietnam Soul" tea set, and as souvenirs for domestic and international conferences...

Ceramics not only makes material wealth contributing to the local economic growth but also expresses the unique traditional culture and history of generations of inhabitants living on Binh Duong land. The more proud of this industry, the more attention we hope to the preservation of this traditional handicraft.

Reported by Quynh Nhu – Translated by Ngoc Huynh