Over 140 black pottery sets or pieces from the northern provinces of Shandong and Qinghai are on display in an exhibition at Tap Seac Gallery on Praça do Tap Seac, which is on until March 10.
Titled “Tempering by Earth and Fire – Black Pottery Art Exhibition of Shandong and Qinghai Provinces”, the exhibition features black pottery works by masters from both provinces. These range from finely crafted pieces to daily utensils, a recent statement from the gallery noted.
The statement said that black pottery’s history can be traced back to the Neolithic (New Stone Age) period over 4,000 years ago. The period, Wikipedia notes, was the final division of the Stone Age in Europe, Asia and Africa.
This type of pottery is made from clay and comprises “elegant materials, thick, hard texture, mellow, black colour on a smooth surface”, according to the statement, adding that it is known as “black as paint, thin as paper, bright as a mirror, hard as porcelain, with a chiming sound”.
The techniques and distinctions from each province’s black pottery can be found at the exhibition. Shandong black pottery, the statement said, is known for its carving techniques, with Dezhou and Qihe black potteries notably showing a combination of a raft of techniques, presenting designs with “graceful colours” and incorporating calligraphy, cloisonné*, and lacquer painting, among others.
Meanwhile, Tibetan black pottery of Nangqian county in Qinghai province uses a firing technique that involves the use of clay from a 4,800-metre-high plateau mixed with Tibetan medicines, according to the statement.
The free-admission exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, including public holidays. More information can be found by visiting www.icm.gov.mo or by calling the bureau at 8988 4000 during office hours.
*According to Wikipedia, Cloisonné refers to an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with colored material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold.
Photos: Rui Pastorin
