Out of the Mould

Prior to the mid 1980's, little was known to outsiders of the rich artistic heritage of Vietnam. This was particularly so for ceramics. This book looks at the current state of sculptural ceramics in Vietnam in a period of rapid change. It examines the transition from a craft to an art based practice in Hŕ Ni during the 20th and early 21st centuries. The book uses Alois Riegl's writings as a model, which disregard any hierarchy within artistic disciplines. In recent years, ceramics has resumed its place as one of the major art forms in Vietnam, in contrast to its relegation to a 'decorative', as opposed to a 'fine art', form in the discourse of the French colonial era. The history of sculptural ceramics in Vietnam is discussed, as is ceramic practice and lineages of potters in ceramic producing villages around Hŕ Ni. The transition in ceramics practice is discussed in terms of the effect of changing conditions for the education of ceramicists, in institutional structures and in the art market and exhibitions structure. Finally, the book examines the role which ceramics has played in the emergence of installation art in Vietnam.