A small collection in the wonderful ceramics galleries at the V&A is called "Global ceramics now". The label says: "Today's world features unprecedented levels of global exchange. McDonald's, Reebok and Toshiba can be found anywhere. But globalisation is not a new phenomenon. For centuries, Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, for example, was exported in large quantities to Europe and the Middle East and has been called the 'first global brand'.
"Many contemporary ceramic atists are fascinated by the global history of their medium. By mixing present-day imagery with old styles, they reflect on the long story of ceramics as a means of cultural exchange. Some artists even alter 'antique' pieces as one way of directly engaging with the past."
Li Lihong's background in commercial design and advertising is apparent in
McDonalds #1, which comments on the recent flood of global brands into China - and also reminds us that Chinese porcelain has been a global product for centuries -
Jo Meesters and Marije van der Park took three factory-made ceramics producing for the tourist market and removed part of the surface with sandblasting, creating an image of the contemporary Dutch landscape complete with 21st century windmills -
Finnish artist Caroline Slotte has carefully wheel-cut a series of holes into a group of mismatched 19th century plates. Wen they are stacked, the result is a layered, fragmentary landscape. In this way Slotte wittily updates the tradition of printed views on ceramics,one of the earliest means by which many people saw images of faraway places -
British artist Paul Scott twists traditional blue-and-white designs as a way of commenting on contemporary relations between east and west. This tea service is made up of found objects that Scott has redecorated. His new pattern refers to a tragic incident that occurred in 2004 in north-west England. A group of illegal immigrants from China, working as cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay, were caught by a rising tide, and more than 20 people died -
The ceramics galleries are on the 6th floor (there's a lift!) - and this is the view down to the entrance hall -
What a fabulous museum - and entrance is free (donations welcome, of course -- or you can support the museum via its shop).
...going for walks in the countryside -
...discovering Roman sites, like Caistor, Norfolk's capital 1700 years ago. Apart from a church near the edge of the site, it's not been built on -
The next day, a quick tour of Norwich in the rain - this is the marketplace -
Then at home, much cooking -
and eating -
After the rain - "red sky at night, sailor's delight" -
And sure enough the next day was bright blue sky - so it was off to the seaside, Horsey Mill -
and a walk over fields to the gap in the sea defences -
to find seals along the sandy beach - 207 pups this year -
The smell tends to keep people at a distance -
A different route back to the carpark takes you past a congenial pub and some buildings with mouldering thatch -
Towards evening, good weather for hot air balloons -
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