With the grass grows and the warbler flies in February, it is a great time for winter to spring. On the morning of February 28th, The Spirit of Ceramics: 2021 Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale was grandly opened at the Art Museum of Jingdezhen Ceramic University. Wen Hongwu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Bauhinia Culture Holdings Limited and General Manager, announced the opening. Zhuang Zhaolin, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee and Minister of Publicity Department of CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee, delivered a speech.

Hu Xuemei, Mayor and Deputy Secretary of Jingdezhen Municipal Committee, Li Jinsheng, Chairman and Secretary of the Party Committee of China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd., and Li Liangzhi, Secretary of the Party Committee of Jingdezhen Ceramic University delivered speeches respectively. Torbjørn Kvasbø, President of International Academy of Ceramics (IAC), who could not be present due to the pandemic, sent a video speech. Lyu Pinchang, Chief Curator of Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale (CJICB), Deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Jingdezhen Ceramic University (JCU) and Vice President (organizing the administrative work) of JCU, introduced the relevant information about the biennale.

Lyu Pinjin, Vice President and Member of the Standing Committee of Central Academy of Fine Arts, Liu Zheng, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of China Academy of Art, Ren Jianxin, Full-time Vice President of China National Arts and Crafts Society, Wu Yueshen, Executive Vice President of China Ceramic Industry Association, Chen Lyusheng, Former Deputy Director of National Museum of China, Ding Xiaoqun, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Director of the Proposal Committee, You Ying, Director of Science and Technology Department of Jiangxi Province,Ye Qing, President of Jiangxi Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Zheng Shaozhong, Director of People's Daily Jiangxi Branch, Li Longwu, Deputy Minister of Publicity Department of CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee, Chen Xiaoping, Deputy Director of JiangXi Provincial Department of culture and tourism, Cao Xiongtai, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Jingdezhen Municipal People's Congress, Lin Rong, member of the Standing Committee and Minister of Publicity Department of Jingdezhen Municipal Party Committee, Zhou Guozhen, Professor of Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Ning Gang, Former president of Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Chen Yuqian, Former President of Jingdezhen University, and leaders of attended the opening ceremony. Wu Jun, Deputy Secretary of Jingdezhen Municipal Committee, presided over the opening ceremony.

Wen Hongwu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Bauhinia Culture Holdings Limited,announced the opening.

Zhuang Zhaolin, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee and Minister of Publicity Department of CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee, delivered a speech.

Zhuang Zhaolin pointed out in his speech that Jingdezhen ceramics is an important cultural symbol for the world to know China and China to the world. In recent years, Jiangxi has been earnestly following the important instructions of “Building Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Experimental Zone, and creating a new platform for foreign cultural exchanges” made by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection of Jiangxi, deeply excavate the profound heritage of ceramic culture, and make unremitting efforts to create Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Experimental Zone. The Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale is a vivid practice to implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, a powerful initiative to build the Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Experimental Zone, an important carrier to tell the Chinese story and spread the Chinese voice, and will also become a beautiful card for Jiangxi to accelerate the construction of a more creative, innovative, competitive and influential cultural province. At present, 45 million JiangXi people are writing a wonderful chapter of comprehensive construction of socialist modernization of Jiangxi with the high spirit of "being a model and striving for the first". He sincerely hope that friends at home and abroad through this biennale, better experience the unique charm of ceramic culture in Jingdezhen, and jointly promote the creative transformation and innovative development of ceramic culture, so that the thousand-year porcelain capital Jingdezhen in the new era can glow more brilliant, to help Jiangxi high-quality leap-forward development.

Hu Xuemei, Mayor and Deputy Secretary of Jingdezhen Municipal Committee, delivered a speech

Hu Xuemei pointed out that in recent years, Jingdezhen has been adhering to the national experimental zone construction as the guide, closely around the "two places a center" strategic positioning, build Jingdezhen national ceramic culture protection heritage innovation base, world-renowned ceramic cultural tourism destination, international ceramic cultural exchange and cooperation trading center, carry out international cultural exchanges in a larger scope and more areas, with china to tell the story of China's cultural confidence. The holding of The Spirit of Ceramics: 2021 Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale is not only the in-depth implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instruction of “Building Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Experimental Zone, and creating a new platform for foreign cultural exchanges”, but also the in-depth implementation of the provincial government's strategy to strengthen the province, to build a new platform for foreign ceramic culture inheritance and innovation and international cultural exchange, to create a feast of top ceramic art at home and abroad. Moreover, it opened a new window to tell the ceramic culture, spread the voice of the porcelain capital, and tell the Chinese story. It is hoped that the exhibition organizers  will further join hands and take this “Biennale” as a new opportunity to jointly play a harmonious movement of the exchange and integration of world civilizations, so that ceramic culture and ceramic art will further renew the new vitality and highlight the new glory.

Wu Jun, Deputy Secretary of Jingdezhen Municipal Committee, presided over the opening ceremony.

Li Jinsheng, Chairman and Secretary of the Party Committee of China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd., delivered a speech.

Li Jinsheng pointed out that ceramic culture has always been regarded as a significant part of the achievements of the Chinese civilization and is one of the  international cultural brand with Chinese characteristic. Jingdezhen, as a thousand-year porcelain capital, held this Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale to bring Jingdezhen closer to the world and build a new platform for international cultural innovation and cooperation with ceramic culture as the carrier. With a history of 70 years, China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. has been committed to building bilateral and multilateral cultural exchange platforms and actively participating in international exchanges and dialogues in the field of Chinese and foreign culture and arts. In the next step, China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. will give full play to its channel and resource advantages to cooperate deeply with Jiangxi Province, especially Jingdezhen, in the areas of culture “going out”, overseas promotion of tourism, planning of international cultural activities, provision of extended content, and theater management, to actively promote the global spread of Chinese culture.

Li Liangzhi, Secretary of the Party Committee of Jingdezhen Ceramic University,  delivered a speech.

Li Liangzhi pointed out that Jingdezhen Ceramic University is the only multidisciplinary institution of higher education in the world named after ceramics. In its long-term practice of running a school, it has always taken the mission of promoting ceramic culture and spreading traditional Chinese culture as its role, and actively integrated into modern ceramic art development, cultivating a large number of famous ceramic artists, sculptors and art leaders. In recent years, our school has hosted high-level exhibitions of ceramic artworks by students and faculty at important international venues such as the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Louvre Museum in France, the Museum of Asian Art in Greece, and the Grand Palais in France, greatly promoting Chinese ceramic culture to the world. Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale is not only an innovative measure to build the Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Experimental Zone with high standards, but also to let the world see and feel the responsibility of the millennium porcelain capital Jingdezhen and the century-old Jingdezhen Ceramic University to promote the prosperity and development of modern ceramic art. On the occasion of the opening of The Spirit of Ceramics: 2021 Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale, he sincerely hope that ceramic artists at home and abroad will take advantage of the Biennale as a platform for mutual knowledge and trust, mutual learning and mutual appreciation, and jointly create a brighter future for world ceramic art, and also sincerely hope that Jingdezhen Ceramic University, together with art colleges, academic institutions and social organizations at home and abroad, will enhance friendship, deepen cooperation, and jointly write a new chapter in the high-quality development of world ceramic art education.

Torbjørn Kvasbø, president of International Academy of Ceramics (IAC), sent a video speech.

 Torbjørn Kvasbø, president of International Academy of Ceramics (IAC) sent a video of congratulations on the spot. He pointed out that China has a very long history of ceramics, and Jingdezhen is the brightest treasure in the field of Chinese ceramics.The establishment of Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Experimental Zone fully shows China's vision and strategy to accelerate the development of ceramic culture. With the support of the People’s Government of Jingdezhen Municipality, Jingdezhen Ceramic University has actively undertaken the significant task of helping the development of the experimental zone and creating a new platform for foreign cultural exchange, linking Jingdezhen more closely with the world through the Biennale, building a new platform for cooperation, exchange and mutual understanding between international regions with ceramic culture as the carrier, and allowing the world to grasp and feel the mission that China has undertaken for the prosperous development of ceramic culture in the world. He believes that The Spirit of Ceramics: 2021 Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale will promote the human emotions and spiritual power generated by the interaction between human beings, clay and fire, continue the endless and joyful life experience of integrating art and science, strengthen the role of ceramics in the integration of multiculturalism.

Lyu Pinchang, Chief Curator of Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art Biennale, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Jingdezhen Ceramic University and Vice President (organizing the administrative work) of

 Jingdezhen Ceramic University, delivered a speech.

Lyu Pinchang pointed out that as the chief curator, he was excited, full of expectations, and even more grateful. What’s excited is that this academic exhibition, which is based on internationalization, high quality and sustainability in the field of ceramic art, has officially started. He hoped that through the Biennale, Jingdezhen will be closer with the world and to implement the important instructions of “Building Jingdezhen National Ceramic Culture Inheritance and Innovation Experimental Zone, and creating a new platform for foreign cultural exchanges” made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, using porcelain as a medium, tell “Chinese Story”and “Jingdezhen Story” in the new era. What’s expected is that in the context of the ongoing pandemic, the Ceramic Art Biennale has encountered unprecedented difficulties, but we firmly believe that this will be an epoch-making exhibition, and we hope that this exhibition will be among the international ceramic art biennales with high standard, internationalization and continuity. What’s grateful is that the biennale has gained too much care and support during the preparation, which has promoted the high starting point of the biennale brand. He hoped that ceramic artists at home and abroad will see the Biennale as a platform to jointly face the challenges and a bright future of ceramic art with open visions, evolving wisdom and all-inclusive minds.

Leaders and guests presented awards to the winners of the Kaolin Gold Prize, Kaolin Silver Prize, Kaolin Bronze Prize, Kito Prize, Taoxichuan Emerging Artists Award.

Hu Xuemei, Deputy Secretary and Mayor of Jingdezhen Municipal Committee,  presented the award to the winner of Kaolin Gold Prize; Li Liangzhi, Secretary of the Party Committee of Jingdezhen Ceramic University, presented the award to the winners of Kaolin Silver Prize; Lyu Jinquan, Member of the Party Committee of JCU and Vice President of JCU, Lu Bin, Professor of the School of Design of Nanjing University of the Arts, Wu Yongping, Professor of Central Academy of Fine Arts(CAFA) and Director of Guoli Art Center of CAFA, and Wu Ming, Master of Chinese Arts and Crafts, presented the award to the winners of Kaolin Bronze Prize; He Qian, Chairman of the Guangdong KITO Ceramics Group Co. Ltd., presented the award to the winners of Kito Prize; Xiong Honghua, General Manager of Jingdezhen Ceramic Culture Tourism Development Co., Ltd. and Gang Hao, General Manager of Jingdezhen Taoyi Culture Development Co., Ltd., presented the award to the winners of Taoxichuan Emerging Artists Award.

Leaders and guests jointly launched the opening installation of the Biennale.

It is known that CJICB, co-organized by People’s Government of Jingdezhen Municipality, Jingdezhen Ceramic University, China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. and International Academy of Ceramic, is not only an essential part of the construction of the National Experimental Zone, but also an important platform for strengthening dialogue and exchange with the world. Biennale was held every two years, this year is the first, and thereafter will form the “a core of two wings” and  interdependent development pattern with Jingdezhen International Ceramic Fair, to help the construction of the National Experimental Zone. Especially in the preparation of the Biennale for more than a year, the organizers have made careful planning in the overall design, exhibition content, exhibition format and other aspects, aiming to advocate the spirit of Silk Road, “peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit”, proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, build a new platform for international and inter-regional cooperation and exchanges with ceramic culture as the medium, tell the ceramic story well, make the voice of China heard, making Jingdezhen a bridge between the world and China, connecting the world and Jiangxi, and striving to create more opportunities for people-to-people exchanges and economic and trade cooperation.

In the judging process of the exhibited works, domestic and foreign experts conducted three rounds of online and a round of offline physical appraisal, including preliminary evaluation, re-evaluation and final evaluation of 2,360 exhibited works from all over the world, and selected 206 works in five categories of utensils, sculptures, paintings, installations and videos as finalists, from which 52 award-winning works from different countries and regions were selected, including 1 Kaolin Gold Prize, 3 Kaolin Silver Prizes, 5 Kaolin Bronze Prizes, 23 Taoxichuan Emerging Artists Awards and 20 Kito Prizes.

Journalists from more than 60 news media including People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, Guangming Daily, China Daily, China News, Hong Kong (China) Ta Kung Pao, Wen Wei Po, and Jiangxi Daily attended the opening ceremony and reported on the spot. Xinhuanet, Ifeng, and Artron broadcast the entire opening ceremony live online.