「One object per period」Gao Zhenyu’s Philosophy of Clay: Letting Go for a New Beginning

How many possibilities can a piece of clay have? Gao Zhenyu, who comes from a purple clay family, with over 30 years of experience in shaping clay, has broken through the boundaries of contemporary ceramics. His works offer a stunning answer: “Clay has form yet no form.” He frees the clay from the constraints of practicality and art, exploring the essence of the material in the collision between tradition and modernity.

For the “Sōdeisha” series in”Clay Nirvana” Exhibition, the wood-fired technique endows the clay with a unique texture. The bold lines of the “Sōdeisha Series Narrow-mouthed Vase” imitate the veins of life, exuding a strong sense of power; the “Sōdeisha Series Large Vase” is not deliberately carved or polished, allowing the clay to deform and tilt under the force of gravity. This moment when the clay resists gravity is captured, creating a “clay bud” that breaks free from its constraints.

The “Nirvana” series is another pleasant surprise. The “Nirvana Spherical Vessel” and “Nirvana Series Flower Vessels” have formed a texture of wrinkles like tree rings under the pull of gravity. They not only retain the original warmth of hand-building but also allow the clay to grow vigorous vitality in what seems like an out-of-control state.

Only by returning to the essence can the soul of the vessel be revealed. Gao Zhenyu listens to the “will” of the soil with a reverent heart, allowing the vessel to break free from the shackles of tradition and modernity. Just like his rebellious act of casting off the halo of a purple clay family, he seeks the true form of life deep within the vessel: undefined and growing freely.