In my VIS3020 assignment, I drew deep inspiration from the creative concepts, material applications, and production techniques of several artists I studied. These influences informed my ceramic series “My Father’s Purple Clay Pot and My Coffee Cup,” in which I use objects as a medium to interweave family memories with ecological reflections. This body of work features a collection of purple clay teapots and cups, along with vases and small sculptures made from coarse clay. These pieces symbolize the traditional lifestyle of the older generation—hand-brewed tea, courtyard greenery, and unpolluted air. In contrast, a single coffee cup represents the rhythm of contemporary urban life. A take-away paper cup stands in for today’s industrialized, fast-paced consumer culture. By contrasting these two visual languages, I explore the rupture and transformation in human-nature relationships and lifestyle patterns brought about by industrialization. Additionally, I created a set of “ideal” coffee cups using a blend of coarse pottery and soft clay. Each piece was carefully hand-polished, embodying my personal longing for a quieter, slower rhythm of life rooted in tradition. Influenced by Cathy Franzi, I adopted her method of expressing ecological concerns through ceramics, aiming to convey emotional connections between family and nature through tactile, functional forms.
Inspired by Wang Yinxian, I created a purple clay teapot within the series, modeled after the form of an orchid. This work integrates her distinct style—merging abstraction with natural realism—and pays tribute to my father’s affection for purple clay teapots and the memories they hold. Peng Wei’s practice also deeply resonated with me. Drawing from her visual language, I created a screen-style painting that evokes my childhood hometown: a riverside street, a bluestone bridge, a cozy courtyard, my father drinking tea, his bonsai plants, a small stone table with bamboo chairs, and a lotus-filled water tank. This piece expresses my deep sense of nostalgia.
