2022 TAIWAN CERAMICS AWARDS
2022 TAIWAN CERAMICS AWARDS
2022.04.01(Fri.)~2022.08.28(Sun.)
3F Special Exhibition room No. 200, Wenhua Rd., Yingge Dist., New Taipei City 239218 , Taiwan (R.O.C.)
New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum
From Physical Austerity to the Great Vessel Unbound – Hsu Yunghsu’s Artistic Process Text by Liao Jen-I, PhD in Aesthetics, Université de Paris-X Nanterre and Associate Professor at the Graduate Institute of Museum Studies & Chief Librarian of the Library & Acting Director of the Center for Traditional Arts, TNUA Since the Qing Dynasty, traditional pottery in Taiwan has gone through a steady development, primarily because of the increasing number of residents on the Island. With the rise of modern art in the mid-twentieth century, pottery extended into ceramic art and began incorporating a more modern perspective. By the end of the twentieth century, due to the heavy presence and influence of contemporary art, Taiwanese ceramic art had evolved to become a contemporary art form. Contemporary ceramic art is driven towards new expressive configurations in which the clay medium and installation art combine with artistic concepts to create profound works. The efforts to develop contemporary installation art for the Taiwanese ceramic art scene resonated with Hsu Yunghsu. For years, he worked tirelessly to create extraordinary works that, over time, made him stand out and won him the respect of his peers and the high acclaim of the public. Since he decided to fully devote himself to ceramic art in 1987, he has been working with clay using both body and mind. It is as if the clay has become an extension of his body. In a sense, he is merging with the medium and somehow fusing with the installation itself to create a visual experience unlike any other of this world. It is a brand-new vision, a vision created in clay through HSU’s body. Looking back at HSU’s creative process, it becomes apparent that he had to strive hard to achieve his goals. In truth, his achievements are the result of thirty-five years of hard work. Without the first move - “Physical Austerity”, the “Great Vessel Unbound” would not have been possible. 1. Physical Austerity Hsu Yunghsu’s work embodies the art of sculpture, the art of thinking as well as the art of physical realization. Ever since he dived into the creation of ceramic art, he has been steadfastly cultivating the symbiotic union between himself and clay and the depth of their dialogue. After three decades of efforts since he first captured the world’s attention in the 1990s, he has already created his distinctive style of ceramic sculpture. Today, he enjoys international accolades and he has introduced rich and multiple structures and shapes into this art form, expanding it with an unprecedented and magnificent vision. HSU was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1955. After graduating from National Pingtung Teachers College in 1975, he worked as an elementary school teacher. He was also a notable player of Chinese zither. In 1987, he set up his own ceramic studio; and in 1992, he followed ceramic artist Winnie Yang. Eventually in 1998, he gave up his teaching position and twenty-two years of seniority, along with his established music career, and became fully dedicated to the art of clay for life. In 2007, under the tutelage of CHANG Ching-Yuan, he obtained an MFA from Tainan National University of the Arts. With high-spirited creativity, HSU soon entered the professional art stage, from Taiwan to International platforms. He has established a landmark in ceramic art. From 1992 onward, he gradually established his initial style in making ceramic art and received much international attention. He was frequently invited for international exhibitions, and his works were seen in the coverage and review articles in international ceramic art journals. From 1992 to 2020, HSU’s art demonstrated abundant sculptural characteristics and rich aesthetic meanings, displaying vividly recognizable traces of development. His creative career can be seen in six phases1: (1) The phase of Vitalism (1992-1997): The theme of this period, “Life is a Drama”, includes two types of works. The first one refers to his early works derived from a single sculptural element. The second refers to his sculptural forms emulating dance poses and is characterized by a sense of musicality. In terms of modern art, the style coincides with Figurative Abstract art. (2) The phase of Surrealism (1997-2004): This style appeared in the works he called Seats series. During this phase, his work exemplified the Surrealist tradition. By their appearance, the works projected a sense of humor with a subtle undertone of social criticism. This series also fits into the category of Figurative Abstract art, and conveys the mindset of the artist in relation to himself and the world. (3) The phase of Abstract Expressionism (2004-2005): This style can be observed in his Myth series and other seemingly fragmented or abstract sculptures in simple forms. Although the style only lasted for a short time and the works were limited in number, it was nevertheless a crucial stage as HSU shifted from figural to non-figural sculptural forms. In other words, he began to abandon figurative approach to the world of forms in order to explore the artistic potential of an abstract unknown realm. (4) The phase of Process Art (2005-2012): During this phase, HSU treated his work like installation art, and somehow incorporated elements of conceptual art and performance art into his creative process. In his Theater of Clay series of 2007, he used clay to create sculptures “as massive and thin as possible” all of which underwent the firing process in the kiln. According to the artist, these works were created in the attempt to surpass the limitation of his own body. (5) The phase of Metaphysical Aesthetics (2012-2018): While continuing the creative context of the Theater of Clay series, HSU’s art went through a new transformative period. On the one hand, he started adding a large amount of small sculptural units into large structures derived from the Theater of Clay series, developing structures reminiscent of the assemblage art. On the other hand, he also used these small sculptural units to form and extend enormous, magnificent sculptures by stacking or juxtaposing them. (6) The phase of Ars Poetica (2018- ): From 2018 onward, HSU’s installation works made of small-scale clay elements have crossed the classification of plane and three-dimensional. It can be hung on the wall, or installed on the ground. The viewers are lured into experiencing a realm free from dimensional restrictions. Based on the metaphysical aesthetics of the past, the works are animated by a profound poetic conception and seem to resonate with imperceptible and mysterious songs of unknown universe. 2.Surpassing Boundaries In 2012, HSU embarked on yet another journey in an endeavor to surpass his own limits. Since then, the works he has created do not only display decisive gradual changes in sculptural form and structure, but constitute a comprehensive redefinition of his aesthetic perspective. In terms of material, he carefully inspects the clay to ensure it has the necessary malleability. He also has to develop sculpting and firing procedures based on the stability of the interconnected sculptural units. In the past, in order to make his massive ceramic sculptures like in the Theater of Clay series, he had to overcome firing issues, such as collapse or cracking. Now, he has to find a way to avoid the small sculptural units from crowding each other and falling off. The process is filled with more risks, so HSU found it necessary to produce large vehicles to help him move and stabilize the works. In order to complete the massive and complex work one by one, HSU push himself to the very limits to work by instinct and to realize his artistic vision. In terms of structure and form, his works display highly complex structures regardless of size. Indeed, many of the overall structures derive from the build-up of clusters of smaller individual forms. Some of the sculptures are integrated as freestanding units within the three-dimensional space and work as both individual sculptures and installation. Other sculptures can be mounted on walls but seem to almost warp the visual dimensions due to their incredible size and thickness. Before 2012, HSU was engaging in process-oriented art, and his later ceramic works show him changing his artistic approach. In the Theater of Clay series, we could see extended, stretching clay coils connected to form enormous sculptural forms. During the creative process, his body bent and stretched along with the massive sculptural forms, as if his body aligned itself or merged with the sculptures, sharing the same vital force. However, after 2012, HSU made drastic changes to his creative process. He would first make small sculptural elements, and gradually pile or layer them up into a massive structure reminiscent of the large sculptural forms seen in assemblage art. The creative process starts with the shaping of smaller structures that gradually expand into large structures. The movements of the artist’s body follow the same trajectory, beginning with small touches, then gradually broadening and extending the movements and force until the massive sculpture is finalized. Although HSU still continues in the spirit of process art, he is no longer constrained in terms of the scale and size of his works as well as the scope of his physical involvement. Jackson Pollock’s creative process has been labeled “action painting”2 and so it does not seem inappropriate to describe the physical movements and postures in HSU’s ceramic creation as “action art”. In his action art, HSU usually employs two specific sculptural elements: sculptural elements that look like seashells, and the ribbon-like sculptural element. The small sculptural elements look like seashells or people might compare them to little concave dumpling wrappers with dents in the middle, peanut shells, oyster shells, or rice husks. However, they are not imitations or symbols of the things mentioned above, but abstract material units the artist uses to construct structures embedded in his massive sculptures. On the one hand, they give the works volume on the physical level; on the other hand, they facilitate the contrast between the material and the void, the dynamic play of light and darkness, as well as strong tactile contrasts. Secondly, the ribbon-like sculptural elements make people think of handmade noodles or gigantic seaweed. However, these elements are also purely abstract in conceptions and do not refer to anything real. They are simply elements of movement created to transform the spatial dimension. In other words, they are the lineal element that interrupts the stillness and introduces the element of movement and temporality into the works. However, the changes in HSU’s artistic works do not only suggest a visual aesthetic transformation. His sculptures are the results of a profound shift in his aesthetic thinking that has taken place on a philosophical level. HSU used to focus on the exploration of the physical boundaries of art, but he is now moving toward a spiritual aesthetic emblematic of Eastern metaphysics. 3. Great Vessel Unbound When we examine HSU’s creative journey, it becomes clear from his clay sculptures that he turned away from figurative and symbolic art in 2004 when he embraced abstract expressionism. Then, with his Theater of Clay series in 2007, he began to explore the artistic potential of process art, focusing on the creative boundaries of the body. Since then, HSU’s art has shifted from material level towards an art informed primarily by an aesthetic steeped in philosophy. When discussing the development of HSU’s creative philosophy, the following passage from Book of Changes (The Great Treatise I, Chapter 12) is the key to a thorough understanding of his aesthetic thinking and its ties to Eastern philosophy: “That which is antecedent to the material form exists as an ideal method, and that which is subsequent to the material form exists as a definite thing.” HSU’s art does not aim to create a definite thing or a material object but to explore an ideal method, the Way. Here we must pay attention to the fundamental disparity between Eastern and Western metaphysics. Western metaphysics looks at phenomena on the physical, material plane to formulate corresponding abstract, metaphysical principles, In contrast, Confucian and Taoist metaphysics encompasses two realms in such a manner that, when addressing the physical plane, the thing becomes an object or a vessel, yet when adopting a metaphysical viewpoint, the thing becomes a representation of the Way. Therefore, a definite thing refers to the physical object, yet, the ideal method, unlike the definite thing, possesses no definite form and boundary. It is, in short, the metaphysical Way. A similar perspective can be found in Laozi (Chapter 41) in which it is stated, “Its largest square shows no corner. A vessel great is the slowest made. Loud is its sound, but no word uttered. The great form embodies no shape. The Tao is hidden and has no name.” In this passage, “A vessel great is the slowest made” has often been mistakenly interpreted as a delayed success. In truth, following the context of the text, the correct explanation should be that a great vessel possesses no real function. Neither is it meant for visual pleasure. On the contrary, it is a vessel of the Tao and remains nameless and hidden. HSU’s works belonging to this phase often have titles that do not signify any meaning. Perhaps, it is also a manifestation of the statement, “The Tao is hidden and has no name.” It is not entirely appropriate to interpret the artist’s creating activity through philosophical theories. However, HSU’s transition from sculptural art to intellectual art is apparent in his work. Furthermore, he has now reached a stage where his art serves as a medium through which he can truly realize himself. Therefore, it is possible to understand his aesthetic achievement through the coined phrase, “Great Vessel Unbound.” The “great vessel” denotes the depth of HSU’s realization of life and the intricate ties between his art and the aesthetics of Eastern metaphysics attest to the loftiness of his creative thinking. As to the “Great Vessel Unbound”, it points to the fact that his works have surpassed the mundane to unfold the truly spiritual realm HSU has been longing for. In the famous collection of Daoist texts, Zhuangzi, in the section titled “Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease,” a passage reads: “You, Sir, have a large tree and are troubled because it is of no use – why do you not plant it in a tract where there is nothing else, or in a wide and barren wild? There you might saunter idly by its side, or in the enjoyment of untroubled ease sleep beneath it.” The large tree in this passage might not be useful, but if one sheds the mundane, secular perspective, and see it in the world encompassing both heaven and earth, it can serve as place where one can rest and find peace, unbound by the cares of this world. From this perspective, we see that HSU never really gave up music; indeed, music still animates his creative mind. In the past his music was delivered through musical instruments. Today, HSU is a dedicated ceramic sculptor with music resonating in every fiber of his body. Whenever he develops a structure and form with clay, music enters the work and builds up towards the final stage of completion. This music transcends the senses of hearing and sight and flows unbound through the space where his sculpture and the world co-exist. It is music of a metaphysical nature that delineates the spiritual realm, corresponding to the expression, “Loud is its sound, but no word uttered.” Great Vessel Unbound encapsulates the depth and height of HSU’s works at the present stage of his artistic career. It epitomizes his art practice as it is moving towards the aesthetic exploration of spirituality as well as what he has achieved throughout his life. Not only has the artist expanded the vision and form of ceramic art, he has brought to our attention, the significance of the spiritual in contemporary art. New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum has awarded the “2021 Taiwan Ceramic Art Award - the Outstanding Achievement Award” to Hsu Yunghsu. This is not only a gesture of recognition for his efforts and achievements. The award marks a milestone in the innovation of ceramic art. Seen in the historical context of Taiwanese ceramic art, HSU’s art has not only opened up paths for himself to explore, he is leading the entire field of ceramics into new exciting territories of unbound creativity.
2022.04.01(Fri.)~2022.08.28(Sun.)
3F Special Exhibition room No. 200, Wenhua Rd., Yingge Dist., New Taipei City 239218 , Taiwan (R.O.C.)
New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum
From Physical Austerity to the Great Vessel Unbound – Hsu Yunghsu’s Artistic Process Text by Liao Jen-I, PhD in Aesthetics, Université de Paris-X Nanterre and Associate Professor at the Graduate Institute of Museum Studies & Chief Librarian of the Library & Acting Director of the Center for Traditional Arts, TNUA Since the Qing Dynasty, traditional pottery in Taiwan has gone through a steady development, primarily because of the increasing number of residents on the Island. With the rise of modern art in the mid-twentieth century, pottery extended into ceramic art and began incorporating a more modern perspective. By the end of the twentieth century, due to the heavy presence and influence of contemporary art, Taiwanese ceramic art had evolved to become a contemporary art form. Contemporary ceramic art is driven towards new expressive configurations in which the clay medium and installation art combine with artistic concepts to create profound works. The efforts to develop contemporary installation art for the Taiwanese ceramic art scene resonated with Hsu Yunghsu. For years, he worked tirelessly to create extraordinary works that, over time, made him stand out and won him the respect of his peers and the high acclaim of the public. Since he decided to fully devote himself to ceramic art in 1987, he has been working with clay using both body and mind. It is as if the clay has become an extension of his body. In a sense, he is merging with the medium and somehow fusing with the installation itself to create a visual experience unlike any other of this world. It is a brand-new vision, a vision created in clay through HSU’s body. Looking back at HSU’s creative process, it becomes apparent that he had to strive hard to achieve his goals. In truth, his achievements are the result of thirty-five years of hard work. Without the first move - “Physical Austerity”, the “Great Vessel Unbound” would not have been possible. 1. Physical Austerity Hsu Yunghsu’s work embodies the art of sculpture, the art of thinking as well as the art of physical realization. Ever since he dived into the creation of ceramic art, he has been steadfastly cultivating the symbiotic union between himself and clay and the depth of their dialogue. After three decades of efforts since he first captured the world’s attention in the 1990s, he has already created his distinctive style of ceramic sculpture. Today, he enjoys international accolades and he has introduced rich and multiple structures and shapes into this art form, expanding it with an unprecedented and magnificent vision. HSU was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1955. After graduating from National Pingtung Teachers College in 1975, he worked as an elementary school teacher. He was also a notable player of Chinese zither. In 1987, he set up his own ceramic studio; and in 1992, he followed ceramic artist Winnie Yang. Eventually in 1998, he gave up his teaching position and twenty-two years of seniority, along with his established music career, and became fully dedicated to the art of clay for life. In 2007, under the tutelage of CHANG Ching-Yuan, he obtained an MFA from Tainan National University of the Arts. With high-spirited creativity, HSU soon entered the professional art stage, from Taiwan to International platforms. He has established a landmark in ceramic art. From 1992 onward, he gradually established his initial style in making ceramic art and received much international attention. He was frequently invited for international exhibitions, and his works were seen in the coverage and review articles in international ceramic art journals. From 1992 to 2020, HSU’s art demonstrated abundant sculptural characteristics and rich aesthetic meanings, displaying vividly recognizable traces of development. His creative career can be seen in six phases1: (1) The phase of Vitalism (1992-1997): The theme of this period, “Life is a Drama”, includes two types of works. The first one refers to his early works derived from a single sculptural element. The second refers to his sculptural forms emulating dance poses and is characterized by a sense of musicality. In terms of modern art, the style coincides with Figurative Abstract art. (2) The phase of Surrealism (1997-2004): This style appeared in the works he called Seats series. During this phase, his work exemplified the Surrealist tradition. By their appearance, the works projected a sense of humor with a subtle undertone of social criticism. This series also fits into the category of Figurative Abstract art, and conveys the mindset of the artist in relation to himself and the world. (3) The phase of Abstract Expressionism (2004-2005): This style can be observed in his Myth series and other seemingly fragmented or abstract sculptures in simple forms. Although the style only lasted for a short time and the works were limited in number, it was nevertheless a crucial stage as HSU shifted from figural to non-figural sculptural forms. In other words, he began to abandon figurative approach to the world of forms in order to explore the artistic potential of an abstract unknown realm. (4) The phase of Process Art (2005-2012): During this phase, HSU treated his work like installation art, and somehow incorporated elements of conceptual art and performance art into his creative process. In his Theater of Clay series of 2007, he used clay to create sculptures “as massive and thin as possible” all of which underwent the firing process in the kiln. According to the artist, these works were created in the attempt to surpass the limitation of his own body. (5) The phase of Metaphysical Aesthetics (2012-2018): While continuing the creative context of the Theater of Clay series, HSU’s art went through a new transformative period. On the one hand, he started adding a large amount of small sculptural units into large structures derived from the Theater of Clay series, developing structures reminiscent of the assemblage art. On the other hand, he also used these small sculptural units to form and extend enormous, magnificent sculptures by stacking or juxtaposing them. (6) The phase of Ars Poetica (2018- ): From 2018 onward, HSU’s installation works made of small-scale clay elements have crossed the classification of plane and three-dimensional. It can be hung on the wall, or installed on the ground. The viewers are lured into experiencing a realm free from dimensional restrictions. Based on the metaphysical aesthetics of the past, the works are animated by a profound poetic conception and seem to resonate with imperceptible and mysterious songs of unknown universe. 2.Surpassing Boundaries In 2012, HSU embarked on yet another journey in an endeavor to surpass his own limits. Since then, the works he has created do not only display decisive gradual changes in sculptural form and structure, but constitute a comprehensive redefinition of his aesthetic perspective. In terms of material, he carefully inspects the clay to ensure it has the necessary malleability. He also has to develop sculpting and firing procedures based on the stability of the interconnected sculptural units. In the past, in order to make his massive ceramic sculptures like in the Theater of Clay series, he had to overcome firing issues, such as collapse or cracking. Now, he has to find a way to avoid the small sculptural units from crowding each other and falling off. The process is filled with more risks, so HSU found it necessary to produce large vehicles to help him move and stabilize the works. In order to complete the massive and complex work one by one, HSU push himself to the very limits to work by instinct and to realize his artistic vision. In terms of structure and form, his works display highly complex structures regardless of size. Indeed, many of the overall structures derive from the build-up of clusters of smaller individual forms. Some of the sculptures are integrated as freestanding units within the three-dimensional space and work as both individual sculptures and installation. Other sculptures can be mounted on walls but seem to almost warp the visual dimensions due to their incredible size and thickness. Before 2012, HSU was engaging in process-oriented art, and his later ceramic works show him changing his artistic approach. In the Theater of Clay series, we could see extended, stretching clay coils connected to form enormous sculptural forms. During the creative process, his body bent and stretched along with the massive sculptural forms, as if his body aligned itself or merged with the sculptures, sharing the same vital force. However, after 2012, HSU made drastic changes to his creative process. He would first make small sculptural elements, and gradually pile or layer them up into a massive structure reminiscent of the large sculptural forms seen in assemblage art. The creative process starts with the shaping of smaller structures that gradually expand into large structures. The movements of the artist’s body follow the same trajectory, beginning with small touches, then gradually broadening and extending the movements and force until the massive sculpture is finalized. Although HSU still continues in the spirit of process art, he is no longer constrained in terms of the scale and size of his works as well as the scope of his physical involvement. Jackson Pollock’s creative process has been labeled “action painting”2 and so it does not seem inappropriate to describe the physical movements and postures in HSU’s ceramic creation as “action art”. In his action art, HSU usually employs two specific sculptural elements: sculptural elements that look like seashells, and the ribbon-like sculptural element. The small sculptural elements look like seashells or people might compare them to little concave dumpling wrappers with dents in the middle, peanut shells, oyster shells, or rice husks. However, they are not imitations or symbols of the things mentioned above, but abstract material units the artist uses to construct structures embedded in his massive sculptures. On the one hand, they give the works volume on the physical level; on the other hand, they facilitate the contrast between the material and the void, the dynamic play of light and darkness, as well as strong tactile contrasts. Secondly, the ribbon-like sculptural elements make people think of handmade noodles or gigantic seaweed. However, these elements are also purely abstract in conceptions and do not refer to anything real. They are simply elements of movement created to transform the spatial dimension. In other words, they are the lineal element that interrupts the stillness and introduces the element of movement and temporality into the works. However, the changes in HSU’s artistic works do not only suggest a visual aesthetic transformation. His sculptures are the results of a profound shift in his aesthetic thinking that has taken place on a philosophical level. HSU used to focus on the exploration of the physical boundaries of art, but he is now moving toward a spiritual aesthetic emblematic of Eastern metaphysics. 3. Great Vessel Unbound When we examine HSU’s creative journey, it becomes clear from his clay sculptures that he turned away from figurative and symbolic art in 2004 when he embraced abstract expressionism. Then, with his Theater of Clay series in 2007, he began to explore the artistic potential of process art, focusing on the creative boundaries of the body. Since then, HSU’s art has shifted from material level towards an art informed primarily by an aesthetic steeped in philosophy. When discussing the development of HSU’s creative philosophy, the following passage from Book of Changes (The Great Treatise I, Chapter 12) is the key to a thorough understanding of his aesthetic thinking and its ties to Eastern philosophy: “That which is antecedent to the material form exists as an ideal method, and that which is subsequent to the material form exists as a definite thing.” HSU’s art does not aim to create a definite thing or a material object but to explore an ideal method, the Way. Here we must pay attention to the fundamental disparity between Eastern and Western metaphysics. Western metaphysics looks at phenomena on the physical, material plane to formulate corresponding abstract, metaphysical principles, In contrast, Confucian and Taoist metaphysics encompasses two realms in such a manner that, when addressing the physical plane, the thing becomes an object or a vessel, yet when adopting a metaphysical viewpoint, the thing becomes a representation of the Way. Therefore, a definite thing refers to the physical object, yet, the ideal method, unlike the definite thing, possesses no definite form and boundary. It is, in short, the metaphysical Way. A similar perspective can be found in Laozi (Chapter 41) in which it is stated, “Its largest square shows no corner. A vessel great is the slowest made. Loud is its sound, but no word uttered. The great form embodies no shape. The Tao is hidden and has no name.” In this passage, “A vessel great is the slowest made” has often been mistakenly interpreted as a delayed success. In truth, following the context of the text, the correct explanation should be that a great vessel possesses no real function. Neither is it meant for visual pleasure. On the contrary, it is a vessel of the Tao and remains nameless and hidden. HSU’s works belonging to this phase often have titles that do not signify any meaning. Perhaps, it is also a manifestation of the statement, “The Tao is hidden and has no name.” It is not entirely appropriate to interpret the artist’s creating activity through philosophical theories. However, HSU’s transition from sculptural art to intellectual art is apparent in his work. Furthermore, he has now reached a stage where his art serves as a medium through which he can truly realize himself. Therefore, it is possible to understand his aesthetic achievement through the coined phrase, “Great Vessel Unbound.” The “great vessel” denotes the depth of HSU’s realization of life and the intricate ties between his art and the aesthetics of Eastern metaphysics attest to the loftiness of his creative thinking. As to the “Great Vessel Unbound”, it points to the fact that his works have surpassed the mundane to unfold the truly spiritual realm HSU has been longing for. In the famous collection of Daoist texts, Zhuangzi, in the section titled “Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease,” a passage reads: “You, Sir, have a large tree and are troubled because it is of no use – why do you not plant it in a tract where there is nothing else, or in a wide and barren wild? There you might saunter idly by its side, or in the enjoyment of untroubled ease sleep beneath it.” The large tree in this passage might not be useful, but if one sheds the mundane, secular perspective, and see it in the world encompassing both heaven and earth, it can serve as place where one can rest and find peace, unbound by the cares of this world. From this perspective, we see that HSU never really gave up music; indeed, music still animates his creative mind. In the past his music was delivered through musical instruments. Today, HSU is a dedicated ceramic sculptor with music resonating in every fiber of his body. Whenever he develops a structure and form with clay, music enters the work and builds up towards the final stage of completion. This music transcends the senses of hearing and sight and flows unbound through the space where his sculpture and the world co-exist. It is music of a metaphysical nature that delineates the spiritual realm, corresponding to the expression, “Loud is its sound, but no word uttered.” Great Vessel Unbound encapsulates the depth and height of HSU’s works at the present stage of his artistic career. It epitomizes his art practice as it is moving towards the aesthetic exploration of spirituality as well as what he has achieved throughout his life. Not only has the artist expanded the vision and form of ceramic art, he has brought to our attention, the significance of the spiritual in contemporary art. New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum has awarded the “2021 Taiwan Ceramic Art Award - the Outstanding Achievement Award” to Hsu Yunghsu. This is not only a gesture of recognition for his efforts and achievements. The award marks a milestone in the innovation of ceramic art. Seen in the historical context of Taiwanese ceramic art, HSU’s art has not only opened up paths for himself to explore, he is leading the entire field of ceramics into new exciting territories of unbound creativity.
