Hidden from the bustling streets of Central below, the Pottery Workshop exudes a sense of serenity to anyone who steps inside. It is their first exhibition since the studio’s renovation and restructuring from April to May to better utilise the space. Near the entrance of the spacious studio, the studio’s new Mufei Gallery has returned with a new collection of ceramic works. With a reopening exhibition titled POT-tato, the workshop is once again gathering together Hong Kong’s vibrant pottery community, showcasing the ceramics works of 40 local pottery artists ranging from seasoned artists to ceramic enthusiasts who began as students at the workshop.
The Pottery Workshop currently has four locations across China, but its roots are in Hong Kong. Founded in 1985 as a small, unassuming local studio, it later relocated across several studios in Central. Over the years, it has blossomed into one of the most respected centres for nurturing the city’s ceramic talents, celebrating the vigour and creativity of the local ceramics community. Despite the difficulties in running a local ceramics workshop in post-Covid times where pottery remains a relatively niche art in Hong Kong, the workshop’s ceramics instructors and its director, Caroline Cheng, have strived to preserve the studio and its gallery with their passion for pottery.
On a visit, studio manager Calis Leung, who is also one of the ceramic instructors at the workshop, shows us the glazing room and the three kilns at the studio. She notes the workshop’s importance as a space for meditation and its legacy of nurturing a group of long-time students who eventually became some of the most influential ceramics artists in Hong Kong, such as singer-actress Gigi Leung Wing-kei. The oldest student has been attending for 40 years, ever since the Pottery Workshop’s early days at the Fringe Club.
Another instructor, Ivan Yung, praises the creativity of his students. “I am amazed by our students’ unique understanding of pottery,” he says. “In our upcoming exhibition, the works are presented as a cohesive collective but you can observe how each artist shows their personality through the form, colour and themes of their piece.”
Below are some snapshots of works and candid stories from instructors and a handful of artists , whether professionals or amateurs, but who all started as students at the workshop.
Albert Hsu, “The Deep Blue in my Memory 1, 2”@POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Albert Hsu
“The Deep Blue in my Memory 1, 2”
2023, 2024
Stoneware
This work is a combination of organic and abstract forms, inspired by marine life and the effect of human activities in the ocean. The larger piece of the set resembles a wounded humpback whale diving into the sea, while the smaller piece captures the movement of sea anemones. Hsu says that pottery helps him find internal calmness and express his emotions. Its repetitive nature provides a form of meditation from his stressful work as a surgeon. As a lover of nature, he makes pieces inspired by it.
Sylvia Ng, @POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Sylvia Ng
Untitled
2024
Stoneware, Glaze, Slip
Featuring a glazing effect reminiscent of mountains in Chinese paintings, Ng reveals that it is in fact a “happy accident” that she didn’t intend. Inspired by her cats who have always been her muse, the effects mimic patterns on their fur. Ng enjoys the therapeutic nature of making ceramics and believes it is the most versatile medium to work with.
Krizia Li, @POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Krizia Li
Untitled
2024
Stoneware
Having joined the workshop for more than a decade as a student, Li continues to improve her pieces. “The next piece will always be better,” she says. She describes pottery not just as relaxation therapy, but also something that fuels her passion in taking on challenges. She hopes the reopening of the workshop will bring “a pattern of everyday life” to the local arts community in Hong Kong.
Kevis Wong, @POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Kevis Wong
Untitled
2022, 2023
Wood fired, stoneware
As an architect, Wong believes while these three pieces are not the most representative of his work, they exhibit architectural elements and geometry. The ancient technique of wood firing is chosen over the conventional electrical kiln, resulting in a unique and organic beauty imparted by the natural interaction of flame and ash. This set is a series of functional and geometric ware embodying the tranquil beauty of the tea ceremony. Wong perceives a seamless relationship between ceramics and architecture, with a similar language and form, differing only in scale and materials. He explores space, form and urban landscapes through the experimentation of clay.
Alison Pickett, @POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Alison Pickett
Untitled
2024
Stoneware
“Every piece I make is spontaneous,” says Pickett. “It’s about how I feel each time I sit at my wheel and let my hands and the clay do the work.” A companion piece, each piece works independently but connects with each other when the glaze pattern is aligned. The glaze intends to resemble Chinese ink painting, a gentle brushstroke of colour.
For Pickett, pottery is a meditative escape from the confines of everyday life, by connecting with the earth using her hands. “Receiving a completed piece out of the kiln is always unexpected and exciting,” she notes, “but good or bad, each piece for me that survives the kiln is an absolute joy.”
May Loo Yuen Han, @POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
May Loo Yuen Han
Untitled
2023
Earthenware, Raku firing
Loo’s work explores the interplay between nature and humanity. She uses shades of trees and plants to imprint onto the ceramic surfaces, and allows an unpredictable beauty to emerge from the Raku firing process. In this traditional Japanese pottery technique, the glazed ceramic is removed from the kiln when it is still glowing red hot and then placed in a flammable material such as newspaper or sawdust. The results are unique vibrant colours and a crackled glaze. Fascinated by the unpredictability of the technique, she was first introduced to it through her master, Chan Kam-shing. This work marks her first time undertaking the entire process on her own. She describes the process as “a clash between control and chaos, planning and spontaneity, just like our life experience.” For Loo, pottery helps her get through difficult times and is a means of self-actualisation.
Calis Leung, “Lyndhurst Playground”@POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Calis Leung (instructor)
“Lyndhurst Playground”
2024
Stoneware, colour stain
Leung’s work is a “blend of ancient craftsmanship and intricate artistry” to evoke curiosity. Inspired by the “graceful gestures and vibrant hues” of the pigeons inhabiting the bustling city she lives in, she sees them as an integral part of the urban landscape and captures the symbiotic relationship between the birds and our man-made environment. To Leung, the workshop’s reopening is “exhilarating” and hopeful, continuing its support for local young artists to advance their careers and its contribution in the local arts community as a creative sanctuary.
Ivan Yung, “Filter”@POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Ivan Yung (instructor)
“Filter”
2023, 2024
Hand throwing, terracotta
When Yung moved from his previous studio, he contemplated a way to preserve the memory of the space. As an experiment, he collected wastewater from cleaning the tables and floor, and poured them onto pottery that had been fired once. The result is a set of pottery recording the dust and dirt in that environment. Yung, who has nine years of experience in ceramics, first as a student and now as a teacher, pottery is a profession that is still enjoyable as a hobby.
Vincent Law, @POT-tato, Mufei Gallery, 2024
Vincent Law (instructor)
Untitled
2023
Porcelain
Combining functional ware and art piece, Law combines the process of wheel-throwing, distorting and trimming. He disagrees with the idea of ceramic products as merely tableware and is keen to break the impression by creating artistic pieces for homes. To Law, handmade pottery distinguishes itself from mass produced products; its details, forms, and glaze are tailor-made according to the personality of the individual maker.
POT-tato runs until July 21, 2024 at the Mufei Gallery at the Pottery Workshop Hong Kong.