WORKAHOLIC ART & CULTURE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 3, 2024 NO. 10 Life Made From Mud Photo by Mai Chi
Table of Content 03 General 04 - 05 Vietnamese Ceramics History 06 Career Choice 02 Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine 07 Artist’s Quote 08 - 09 Making Pottery Must Have Its Quality 10 - 11 The Art of Teaching Pottery Photo by Mai Chi
Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine 03 Photo by Mai Chi In a world where so-called modern jobs such as information technology or marketing are dominant, there is a beautiful art which has existed for a thousand years, ceramics, is still gently growing and shining. With our mission to bring the art of ceramics and the love that it deserves to young Vietnamese people, Workaholic will guide you through a journey in this issue, starting from the history of ceramics as a physical form of Vietnamese historical memories, then telling a story of a ceramic artisan who has spent more than 20 years building her life around ceramics, and concluding with an examination of ceramic teaching. We hope that by taking this journey, you can find a deep-down connection with the art of ceramics as we did. Enjoy your stay! Dear readers,
Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine VIETNAMESE CERAMICS HISTORY 04 8,000 to 4,000 BCE Tracing back to the Neolithic Age, this period refers to the earliest evidence of Vietnamese pottery production. The pottery pieces during this time were mostly modelled by hand with low-fired techniques. Trade relations flourished between Vietnam and many countries around the world. Ceramics became an important export item, making pottery production to develop significantly in both quality and quantity with many types of ceramics meeting the highest standards. Many specialised production centres came into existence such as Thang Long, Bat Trang, and Nam Sach. Content by Mai Trang Photo by Mai Chi Le-Mac-Nguyen dynasties Vietnam regained independence. Although heavily influenced by China, Vietnamese ceramics were able to develop independently. The potters of Ly and Tran would take inspirations of Chinese ceramics and mix them with indigenous Vietnamese themes. As a result, ceramic art during this period experienced a strong development with a unique identity. Ly-Tran dynasties
04 Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine 05 The 20th century to present Vietnamese ceramics have adopted both traditional and contemporary approaches presently. Potters in Vietnam continue to produce pottery using traditional methods and at the same time, they also experiment with new forms, glazes, and firing techniques. As a result, they continue to push the boundaries of ceramic art in Vietnam. Potters started using potter’s wheels, making the object’s shape smoother. Terra cotta, which was the first material used in ceramic production, came into existence. More advanced firing techniques also appeared due to the introduction of kilns, resulting in more durable pottery pieces. Terra cotta products were produced all over Vietnam. They encompassed a variety of shapes and decoration although the objects were still rudimentary compared to present products. Ceramic villages also gradually developed and became a respected profession. 1,000 BCE to the first century CE Hanoi Grapevine. (2021, November 23). Trung bày: "Gốm Việt Nam: Một truyền thống riêng biệt - Nhìn từ sưu tập An Biên". Retrieved from https://hanoigrapevine. com/vi/2021/11/exhibition-vietnam-ceramics-a-separate-tradition-from-the-an-bien-collection/ Hong Ha. (2021, November 17). Hành trình lịch sử cùng Gốm Việt Nam- một truyền thống riêng biệt. Retrieved September 16, 2023, from Cổng thông tin điện tử Bộ văn hoá, thể thao và du lịch: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/hanh-trinh-lich-su-cung-gom-viet-nam-mot-truyen-thong-rieng-biet-20211117162607485.htm Nhân Dân. (2021). The charm of Vietnamese ceramics in the flow of history. Long Phuong. (n.d.). Sự ra đời và phát triển của gốm sứ việt nam qua các thời kỳ. Retrieved from https://store.longphuong.vn/gom-su-viet-nam-qua-cac-thoi-ky/ Ha Van Tan. (1984). Prehistoric Pottery in Viet Nam And its Relationships with Southeast Asia. Asian Perspectives, 26(1), 135-146. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/42928112 Stevenson, J., Guy, G., & Court, L. A.,. (1997). Vietnamese Ceramics: A Separate Tradition, Art Media Resources with Avery Press. Chicago. Tran, K. C. (2005). Vietnamese Ceramics. Hanoi: The Gioi Publishers. 2,000 to 1,000 BCE
06 Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine C A R E E R C H O C E I
Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine 07 “You can’t rush it. Things will crack and break and fall off. This is the opposite of an instant gratification activity” Amanda Moffat
Making Pottery Must Have Its Quality Nguyen Thi Dung fell in love with pottery in a very random way. People often think that only professional children study this field, but it’s different for her. At that time, ceramics was not a popular field of study, it was always only a 3-4 aspiration for art enthusiasts. Her love for fine arts and curious personality, wanting to try different things, motivated her to choose ceramics as her first aspiration when choosing a major at university. When she first went to school, she shared that making ceramics was very hard and required health and determination. In school, teaching often leans towards technique instead of composition, which easily makes students discouraged and unable to find a passion for ceramics. As a person who likes creativity, likes to try new things and doesn’t want to follow trends, Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung adjusted the soil and yeast to try to do different things. Along with that difference is a very high rate of damaged products. There are batches of terracotta that damage more than 50% of the products, but for her, that is not a cause for concern. If the product was damaged or unsatisfactory after being released from the oven, she would not hesitate to throw it away even though her family was not financially prosperous at that time. But being able to do what 80 Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine Learn and practice Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung was also in the same situation at that time. After 3 years of studying and graduating, she still had not found her passion for ceramics. Changing many jobs is like that, but for artisan Nguyen Thi Dung, this is an extremely lucky thing. When changing to many different working environments, she learned many new techniques and knowledge. However, the working environment at that time focused on high application, so it was difficult for her to flourish in her writing. In 2014, she and her husband, ceramic artist Ngo Trong Van, decided to buy a small kiln to satisfy their creative passion. In the beginning, when she bought the kiln, she just wanted a place where she could be creative and try what she wanted, without any thought of recovering her capital. Shaping your style Photo by Mai Chi Content by Khanh Linh Photo by Mai Chi Phu nu Viet Nam. (2019, November 7). Nghệ sỹ Nguyễn Thị Dũng: Sinh ra để làm gốm. Retrieved from https://phunuvietnam.vn/nghe-synguyen-thi-dung-sinh-ra-de-lam-gom-66568.htm
“When making pottery, don’t be afraid of being different, don’t be distracted by other ideas on the market. The most important thing when making ceramics is to find your color and quality” Many students think that if they want to make the works they like and want to be creative, becoming a freelance artist is the most suitable. But reality is not like that. In producing a finished ceramic work, many different issues need to be considered, not just being beautiful and creative is enough. Besides, making pottery requires perseverance and persistence. Artist Nguyen Thi Dung shared that she believes she is not a person with artistic talent, but she became what she is today through perseverance. When starting a career, everyone will see that their work is beautiful because they have created a work. But in the long run, as techniques and understanding of ceramic making increase, the number of satisfactory finished products created is no longer that large. Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine 09 she loves makes her and her passion for ceramics feel like they are one step closer. However, difficulty after difficulty made her want to give up many times, but life never let her fail. When she was feeling very exhausted, an excellent work suddenly appeared to hold her. back to the profession. At a time when COVID-19 was raging, even though preventing the disease was tiring, ceramics brought joy to her. She spent all her time making pottery, forgetting the fatigue brought by COVID-19. Now making pottery is always fun for her because she is immersed in creativity and doing what she loves. Furthermore, stuck ideas are an unavoidable problem in the creative process. The way to find ideas and creativity is different for each person. Most people will choose to go out to see life but she is different. The reason for the lack of ideas is from repeating one or more of the same techniques over and over for a long time, so she will only spend about 3-4 months a year focusing on making artistic ceramics. display. In the remaining time, she will focus on making practical items and regularly change the techniques used in her works. When she’s stuck for ideas, instead of choosing to go out and play like everyone else, she just puts her unfinished work aside and turns to making small items as small as a flower. During that time, she would not think about being stuck for ideas and will only consider making flowers as a method of practising her pottery skills. As for the idea, it will naturally come. Freedom and manufacturing process Photo by Mai Chi
Vietnamese people are showing interest in cultural traditions. This could be because of globalization when people have better access to information through the internet, social platforms, and efforts by schools and the government to increase cultural awareness. In addition, pride in culture and tourism is also the reason for this trend to develop. It’s an interesting way for people to connect with their roots and feel a sense of belonging in a rapidly changing world. Many villages and localities have their own workshops where local artisans educate interested people on how to make pottery. These workshops are frequently used to preserve old techniques. For example, In Ho Chi Minh City, there is a small workshop called “Gốm Sài Gòn” located in District 1, The lecturer will guide students through the process of creating their own product step by step. Coming up with ideas, supporting the process, and providing guidance are all part of the job. Pottery workshops are very popular in Vietnam for a number of reasons. This tradition has been passed down through generations, creating a love of pottery. In Addition, pottery workshops offer a practical experience, allowing people to create their own unique products and develop a deeper appreciation for the craft. These workshops are also a way for those people who have problems in life to be healed and purified, allowing participants to relax and express themselves creatively 10 Pottery Making - Workaholic Magazine The Art of Teaching Pottery Photo by Mai Chi Photo by Mai Chi Content by Quoc Bao Photo by Mai Chi Tinh Hoa (25 September 2017)” Những lợi ích tuyệt vời cho tinh thần ít ai ngờ khi làm đồ gốm”, Tinh Hoa, accessed in 15 September 2023. https://tinhhoa.us/nhung-loi-ich-tuyet-voi-cho-tinh-than-it-ai-ngokhi-lam-do-gom.html Raider E, Coleman S and Gerson J (2014) ‘Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills in a Workshop’, in Coleman P, Deutsch M, Marcus E (eds), Jossey-Bass. https://ds.amu.edu.et/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/8489/Deutsch%2C%20Coleman%2C%20and%20 Marcus%20Conflict.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y#page=713
(Tinh Hoa 25 September 2017). Moreover, the popularity of pottery workshops can be attributed to the country’s vibrant tourism industry, where visitors are eager to engage in authentic cultural experiences, including traditional crafts like pottery-making. Lastly, the economic aspect cannot be overlooked, because pottery workshops can serve as a source of income for many artisans and their communities. Besides that, opening a workshop also has some risks. Opening a pottery workshop requires a large equipment investment and recurring costs. Market competition, good marketing, and inventory and material management are also factors. Profitability can be affected by factors such as economic uncertainty and year-to-year changes in demand. Even though teaching pottery is a very rewarding thing to do, it has its difficulties. From pushing the clay around to shaping it on the wheel, it takes strength and skill. Pottery takes a lot of time, which may test the patience of students who are used to getting results quickly. Finding a good balance between creativity and technical skill can be hard, especially for students who put more value on art than on method. Teaching at a workshop might impede an artist because he must repeat the basics. Thus, they cannot grow. It’s also important to manage students’ expectations, especially in the beginning, and to stress that success takes practice and time. Even with these problems, teaching pottery is a very rewarding thing to do because it makes both the teacher and the students appreciate the skill more and feel like they have accomplished. According to Raider et al. (2014;695), the first educational insight is that each learner has a distinct and implicit «theory of practise» for conflict resolution. Patience and the ability to adapt to different ways of learning are needed when teaching pottery. But when practicing on your own, you will have the freedom to be creative and express your true self through your product. It’s a great chance to learn more about yourself, but there are also potential risks. Both training and making pottery on your own have their own benefits that help you understand the craft. In the end, teaching pottery in Vietnam is an important step towards preserving the country’s rich cultural history. As interest in this old craft grows, activities focused at passing down these skills are critical in ensuring that Vietnamese pottery manufacturing maintains a vibrant and living heritage for future generations. The heritage of Vietnamese ceramics will grow as a result of these efforts, both within the country and on the global stage. Mag- 11 Photo by Mai Chi Photo by Mai Chi
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