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Ray Ming-rui Sun
They are delicate, but not delicate
"Recycling" is one of the artistic elements that I have focused on since 2016. From China-Europe, I feel that there are a series of waste problems in the society, which are also the sequelae of economic development. For example, some cities focus on developing industries to increase GDP, but there will be a lot of related "garbage" behind the prosperity. The "garbage" I choose is not traditional recyclable materials like plastic and steel, but unique to the local economy.
At first, I chose Jingdezhen where I live and work. The factories and individual studios produce all kinds of ceramic waste that are even left on the streets. This creates a "landscape" with local characteristics.
Zibo (glass) and Anshan (local jade) are two similar cities in my country. The visual of accumulation is their common denominator.
The amount of waste generated by contemporary industrial production of traditional art materials is huge and the waste caused by the inability to reshape and the low price is worth examining. Limoges in France and Stafford in the UK share the same problems
The waste of resources, economic and socio-cultural is huge and complex, and one could even try to extend the discussion to a global level. To create my own contemporary artwork based on materials and humanities with the aim of discovering, disseminating and criticizing.

1998, Taoxichuan, Jingdezhen

2018, Taoxichuan, Jingdezhen


2019, Laoyatan, Jingdezhen
Ceramic test pieces
recycled materials, kaolin, ceramic pigments
imitates the vision of waste ceramic accumulation
2019





Municipal wasteⅠ
Brooch
Kaolin, ceramic pigments, steel
2020
This is a story about the natural degradation of ceramics. It is said that it takes tens of thousands of years for the natural weathering and degradation of ceramics, which reminds me of the appearance of those blue waste ceramics accumulated tens of thousands of years later.
This wearing structure made of steel wire is to allow the brooch to show a perfectly round body when worn or displayed, without being affected by other materials on the front visual effect and not easy to fall.

Abandoned ceramic artwork parts
from my colleague
Giving wearability on an unfamiliar object with steel wire
2022

This is a long-term creative topic. In addition to ceramic materials, discarded glass and jade will also be tried in the future.
An exploration of sustainability: material waste in art making and related industries
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