yang jiechang depicts the superiority of nature on a series of embossed vases

a series of eleven vases decorated with unique textures

chinese artist yang jiechang presents his new unconventional artwork at galerie de sèvres in paris. titled ‘tale of the 11th day’, the exhibition accommodates a series of eleven embossed vases clad in a pastel palette of colors, that represent paradisiacal sceneries. his overall work follows the pâte-sur-pâte (paste-on-paste) technique —a light relief decoration process made with liquid porcelain paste spread with a brush while the vase is still raw— adding a unique texture to the pieces. 

the vases are decorated with the artist’s drawings, depicting the dominance of nature, released of rules and limits. in this context, the artist envisions the tale of the eleventh day, where humans and animals coexist, communicate and mate. ‘play with each other or make love to each other, and the whole seems in harmony and love,’ as he described in the video.all images courtesy of gregory copitet ©jeanne bucher jaeger

the superiority of nature devoid of laws 

yang jiechang learned about this decoration method in china, and he shifted his interest even more into this process, visiting the manufacture and the museum of sèvres. this technique appeared in sèvres in 1849 and almost was disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century. however, the artist and the museum’s craftsmen joined their forces to revive this unusual and demanding technique.

dubbed ‘tale of the 11th day’, it refers to the ‘decameron’ (based on the greek ‘ten-day work’) written by giovanni boccaccio. in this narrative, the artist emphasizes the superiority of nature over the laws of civilized society and religion, imagining an idyllic ambiance for all beings, immersing into subtle muted colors.

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exhibition info:

name: tale of the 11th day
artist: yang jiechang

dates: from 16.10.2021 to 18.12.2021

location: galerie de sèvres, paris, france