NTCRI and tong ho turn ceramic scrap into tenet film-inspired crafts

giving added value to ceramic scrap, national taiwan craft research and development institute (NTCRI) and a collaborative team of artisans dive into the possibilities of recycled manufacturing. virtually curated on maison & objet and more (MOM), the neo-taiwanese/le néo-artisanat taïwanais craftsmanship exhibition is themed around the circular economy concept; a response to the ongoing pattern of human caused ecological destruction. titled ‘half-cooked neo craftmanship: continually exploring the state of life’, the work unravels through cross-domain innovation, scrap wood and metal. as a result, a two-piece porcelain set surpasses the known limits of the art and initiates a new chapter in the circular economy discourse.

all images courtesy of national taiwan craft research and development institute

through the power of design, NTCRI showcases the diversity behind ceramic scrap whilst continuously upholding the talent, teamwork and cross-domain techniques inherent in its online exhibition. for its preliminary investigation, a commissioned local kiln, called ‘excellence collection’, provided masterfully designed products made from various recycled media, ranging from pottery clay to building bricks. through research and development, the abundant resources and high-level talent of their yingge, taiwan-based branch were driving forces in analyzing and optimizing the most suitable materials. the six consecutive months of experimentation entailed grouting and hand kneading, both needed for renewable material source formulations such as the thermal expansion coefficient and the firing curve.

chief of NTCRI yingge branch, kuo che-hsu

once all is finalized, designers tong ho and chen yuan-jou put their expertise to the test, using creativity to ignite the spark of craft. as an artist and curator in many of taiwan’s cultural events and institutes, tong ho creates the ‘alternative’ – a porcelain dragon and phoenix-themed pair of vases. inspired by the inverted imagery of the 2020 action-thriller film tenet, his team designs a multi-layer, circular chisel mark on the rear-half of the flower vase. tradition and modernity begin to blend with the apparent intermingle of the blue dragon and red phoenix. in keeping with the concept of time and movement, their finish combines an underglaze color and a flat transparent glaze to show the speed at which the lines are traced.

portrait of designer tong-ho

with the aim of striking a balance between concept and technology, a 3D printed prototype was used as the mold, which was, itself, also produced with their porcelain scrap formula. to then carry a smooth trial firing, tong ho reduces the number of notch layers, increases the thickness of a single layer, and alters the mold’s release angle.

‘only by achieving the classics can it be possible to stop wasting scrap materials. in addition to innovation in material and process, the key point of recycling is the value created via the combination of design and craft,’ ho remarks.

NTCRI adopts the notion that ‘any waste generated is just another raw material to be utilized’. with their production of the ‘alternative’ flower vases, the objects mark a highly meaningful step forward. the project contributes a complete data set on ceramic scrap recycling and showcases the material’s infinite possibilities. therefore, with a combination of art, design and technology the vases elevate the contemporary values inherent in traditional craft. as a result, these taiwanese artisans proudly shine through the ‘circular economy’ movement and the vision of a new craft ecosystem evolves.