An Island of Light1- 30 September 2026
Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东
©All rights reserved
Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东
©All rights reserved
Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东
©All rights reserved
Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东
©All rights reserved
Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东
©All rights reserved
Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东
©All rights reserved

Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东

Porcelain maker

Shanghai, China

Decoration for the drips

  • Xiaodong crafts porcelain artworks that explore the use of gravity during making
  • His works are featured in international exhibitions and in several museums in Asia
  • He views craft as a passion collision of material and concept

Originally majoring in environmental art design at Wuchang University of Technology, Xiaodong Bian was drawn to ceramics after encountering expressive studio works by other students. He found in ceramics an ideal medium for self-expression and therefore decided to train under master ceramic artist and sculptor Li Zhengwen. Inspired by the subtle nuances found in nature, Xiaodong applies high-grade Kaolin slurry onto elastic silicone moulds, letting gravity pull out trickling tendrils of material. Under the intense heat of the kiln, the clay deforms naturally into fluid folds. "This technique was born from an accidental mishap I encountered in the workshop," he explains. Turning an unpredicted outcome into a positive, Xiaodong learned to recreate the incident in a controlled way. His works are now in the collections of M+ Museum in Hong Kong and the China Ceramic Museum.

Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东 is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2009.

INTERVIEW

Encountering expressive ceramics in my college studio opened a world beyond functional pottery. Drawn to the creative freedom they allowed, I trained under master artist Li Zhengwen, honing techniques to find my ideal medium of self-expression.

One time a voltage failure overheated the kiln, collapsing my piece Raindrop. Yet its inward warp created a rare beauty, inspiring a new creation: Cocoon. Such serendipity is the joy of ceramics, as from unpredictable mishaps comes the thrilling wonder of new avenues to explore.

I hope to spark reflection on the endless malleability of clay while directing the gaze of viewers towards nature’s fragile, ephemeral beauty. My work invites viewers to pause and appreciate the delicate, fleeting moments that usually slip away unseen.

It starts with a touching moment in nature. I then experiment with novel forming techniques to develop a unique visual language, one capable of capturing and expressing that very glint of initial inspiration.

Xiaodong Bian 卞晓东

Porcelain maker

Shanghai, China

ADDRESS

Address upon request, Shanghai, China

AVAILABILITY

By appointment only

LANGUAGES

Chinese

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