CAROLINE CHENG

JINGDEZHEN, CHINA

I’ve always thought that an artist should live an artistic life and not be bound by any material or place. I’ve been in Foster City, USA, helping my son and his family during the shelter-in-place, so the pandemic has stopped me from working in clay for over 12 weeks. I am unable to go back to my studio, but have been working with my staff in Jingdezhen, long-distance, planning my 10,000 Cup project. Meanwhile, I bought a 360-degree camera and have been filming and working on videos instead. At university in the 1980s I trained in conceptual, video, performance, and internet art, and it’s actually a pleasure to work outside of clay. My work doesn’t talk about social, political or current issues, nor am I interested in doing so.

This is a time to slow down and contemplate what is important in life and whether what I had been doing was worth the time and effort. I plan to cut down all unnecessary work and enjoy life more. I have an opportunity to work on my equestrian skills as these activities are not limited during this time. I am looking at ways to incorporate more activities with horses when this pandemic is over. Forty five years ago, I wanted to be a veterinary surgeon and ended up in zoology and art; as a teenager I worked with animal trainers, vets, rescue centers, stables, and snake labs. One thing that has been interesting to me about this ‘Great Pause’ is that animals are able to use more resources normally given to humans.

BIO: CAROLINE CHENG

Caroline Cheng is an artist and curator as well as the director of The Pottery Workshop which has branches in Shanghai, Jingdezhen and Dali, in China, as well as Hong Kong. An internationally renowned ceramic artist and curator she has been instrumental in nurturing and encouraging dialogues and cultural exchanges between ceramic artists in China and those around the world. She received a BFA in Painting from Michigan State University and MFA in Sculpture from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA. Cheng received an “Outstanding Achievement Award” from NCECA in 2014. Her works have been exhibited throughout the world and are in many private collections as well as museums including the British Museum, Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and San Francisco Asian Art Museum. She also held personal exhibitions in Sotheby’s Hong Kong (2013) and Sotheby's New York (2015).

SOCIAL MEDIA:

carolinecheng@potteryworkshop.com.cn

www.carolinecheng.com

www.potteryworkshop.com.cn

@carolinecheng0166

rate of affection

Caroline Cheng nominates Vipoo Srivilasa