Fujian folk ceramic artist Wu Kangwei in painting. Photo by Wu Guanbiao
Quanzhou, January 17 (Wu Guanbiao, Li Lingling) "The success of Quanzhou's application for heritage has given me creative inspiration and great motivation, and I hope to use my works to let more people understand the ceramic culture of magnetic stoves and the world heritage style of Quanzhou." Fujian folk ceramic artist Wu Kangwei said.
Born in The town of Cizao in Jinjiang, the town of ceramics with a long history, Wu Kangwei was full of interest in ceramic painting since he was a child, and at the age of 13, he followed his master to engage in ceramic painting work. In 1974, he left the village and entered the university campus to become a college student majoring in fine arts and painting.
Because of his love, Wu Kangwei has insisted on the road of painted ceramics for more than 50 years.
Porcelain plate work painted with east and west towers. Photo by Wu Guanbiao
In fact, it is not easy to paint on ceramics, and the underglaze color style of the magnetic stove is relatively rough, and when painting, you must have a good idea and write fast. But the advantage is that the underglaze color is not easy to fade, not easy to be corroded, is conducive to long-term preservation.
"I have been painting the famous attractions of Quanzhou on ceramics for 8 years." Wu Kangwei said that his favorite painting is the East and West Pagodas of Kaiyuan Temple, and over the years he has completed hundreds of porcelain plates and plum vases with the theme of the East and West Pagodas.
Wu Kang placed two porcelain plates for his home studio, painted with the East and West Pagodas and the Statue of the Mani Light Buddha in the Grass Temple, and the signature of Mr. Jeremy Green, an internationally renowned underwater archaeology expert, was particularly striking. These two works are Wu Kangwei's proud works.
The studio display cases are also lined with ceramic handicrafts themed around Quanzhou's 22 heritage sites. An unfinished painting on the long table is a long scroll of Chinese paintings by Wu Kangwei for the 22 heritage sites in Quanzhou that he is currently working on.
"I have been creating this long volume for a long time, and I have been revising and revising it all the time, and there are several drafts and scraps." Wu Kangwei said that since he wants to paint, he cannot be sloppy at all, and he must achieve the perfection in his mind.
In July last year, "Quanzhou: World Maritime Trade Center of Song and Yuan China" was successfully inscribed on the World Heritage List. The project consists of 22 representative monuments and sites and their associated environments and spaces, one of which is the Magnetic Stove Kiln Site (Jinjiaojiaoshan Kiln Site).
As early as a thousand years ago, the ceramics produced by jinjiang magnetic stoves went to the world with the "Maritime Silk Road". The Jinjiaojiaoshan kiln site is currently the largest area, the most well-preserved and the largest number of excavated relics in the magnetic stove kiln system, and the age of its production activities is closely related to the rise and fall of the "Maritime Silk Road".
Magnetic stove porcelain making technology spread throughout Nanyang with the footsteps of overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese, promoting the development of local ceramic technology. The "Wen Nai" porcelain fired by Mi'an in the Philippines was taught by the overseas Chinese surnamed Wu in the magnetic stove. Until modern times, there are still many overseas Chinese who operate this industry overseas and teach skills.
After the successful application for heritage in Quanzhou, the magnetic stove kiln site was revitalized. This made Wu Kangwei excited at the same time, but also aroused his concern about the inheritance of magnetic stove ceramic skills: over the years, many ceramic practitioners of magnetic stoves have given up the industry, and young people have few who can concentrate on learning this skill because of their studies.
Wu Kang works for various ceramic works on display in the studio. Photo by Wu Guanbiao
"Every time I think about it, I feel sorry that the ceramic culture of the magnetic stove has not been widely disseminated, which is a good thing left by the old predecessors." Wu Kang sighed.
In order to pass on and promote the ceramic culture of the magnetic stove, over the years, Wu Kang has spared no effort to participate in various public welfare activities, and has been teaching local primary and secondary school students and college students free of charge all year round.
Under the influence of Wu Kangwei, 6 people in his family are currently engaged in the art industry. "We all hope to use our own craftsmanship to contribute to the promotion of the world heritage of Quanzhou and the inheritance of ceramic culture in the magnetic stove kiln." (End)