Japan Creative Centre (JCC), Embassy of Japan in Singapore and Mulan Gallery proudly presents Ceramic Expressions, the first edition of an annual group exhibition series showcasing works by Singapore-based ceramicists. This exhibition will feature new works by Agnes Lim, Eddie Yee, Hazel Ng, Hiroko Mita and Tan Gek Lin. In addition, our guest artist, master potter Dr Iskandar Jalil will also be showcasing a few of his recent works. So, for a visit to remember, do come down and see for yourself these exquisitely crafted masterpieces!

The works on display at the JCC exhibition will be showcased in the Mulan Gallery from 26 September - 5 October 2017.

About the Artists

Agnes Lim is a practicing ceramics artist at Temasek Potters. She works predominantly with porcelain. In 2016, Lim was invited to participate in the creation of the Apollo’s Dream mural (Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine), conceptualised by leading ceramicists Suriani Suratman and Hiroko Mita to commemorate the school’s inaugural batch of students. In 2015, she was commissioned, alongside acclaimed master potter Dr Iskandar Jalil, to curate a mural installation for a private collection. A 2016 Taiwan Ceramics Biennale Finalist, she has participated in various ceramic group exhibitions since 1997.

Eddie Yee is a potter with an 18-year love affair with clay. A participant of the Nanyang Clay Group Exhibition since 2007, he is inspired by the tactile nature of the medium and the way it speaks to him, as well as by his surroundings and people – what he calls “an imaginary bazaar of sights, sounds, feelings and moods.” Yee’s works, adorned with glazes that enhance and intensify the varying surfaces and textures, bear the signature of his unique style. The natural and unpredictable effects of the glazes take on a life of their own as each piece is gas-fired, resulting in running and or pooling effects that imbue his works with a characteristic liveliness and spirit. It is this sense of joy and spontaneity that Yee hopes to convey to those who enjoy his pottery.

Hazel Ng was first introduced to pottery in 1991. She began serious in pottery under the mentorship of master potter Dr Iskandar Jalil. Ng has been participating in various group exhibitions, and she was awarded Third Prize in "Teawares Singapore Potters Competition" in 1995. She continued to explore her pottery creation at Jalan Bahar Clay Studios in 2007. Ng holds a diploma in Graphic Design and Advertising from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Interior Design from the Rhodec International.

Hiroko Mita first learnt the techniques of pottery-making from renowned potter Dr Iskandar Jalil. Her journey began at Jalan Bahar Clay Studios in 2006 and continues to this day. Her works are inspired by nature, music and people around her. They reflect influences of Japanese culture, her study of fine art and graphic design in Japan and in America, and her life in Singapore for the last two decades. Mita was appointed by ROHEI Corporation to be an instructor as part of their Artisan series in 2015. She has been commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Arts Council, National Heritage Board and Duke-NUS Medical School; and jointly participated in a mural project for NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Experimental Medicine Building. Mita has been a member of the Japanese Ceramic Art Foundation since 2016.

Tan Gek Lin is a practising ceramics artist whose attraction to all things handcrafted started when she was a child. Her interest in pottery took root when she attended an evening pottery course while studying in England in 1997. Following her return to Singapore, she continued her journey with clay and studied under master potter Dr Iskandar Jalil for a period of time. She has participated in various group exhibitions, and held a solo exhibition, Show + Tell in 2013. Her works have been commissioned by organisations such as the National Heritage Board and the Economic Development Board.

About the Exhibition

Explorations of new folds, styles and techniques can be seen in Eddie Yee’s works inspired by the Sahara Desert, Hiroko Mita’s homage to the land and sky, Hazel Ng’s whimsical Japanese knots and childhood snack-inspired pieces, Tan Gek Lin’s figurines swaying to music and Agnes Lim’s intricate porcelain works infused with blue tones. These respected ceramicists are all either long-time apprentices of or comrades-in-clay with master potter and guest artist, Dr Iskandar Jalil. Central to the works in this exhibition is the theme of simplicity. Shibusa, an aesthetic of understated, unassuming beauty, is an underlying principle that influences many of the exhibits.

Dr Iskandar Jalil has said that the “Way of the Pot” is typically not arrived at alone. Exchanges and partnerships can often be excellent ways to spur a potter’s growth. The philosophy of wabi-sabi, which accepts that imperfections and impermanence are an essential part of life and beauty, also exerts a clear influence over his aesthetic sensibilities, and that of his apprentices. These works reward the viewer over time with a rich, hitherto unseen complexity. Melded with this aesthetic is an appreciation of tsuchi-aji (flavour of clay), or an earthiness and character that develops and deepens over the years. So immerse yourself in the subtle complexity of these works, and admire the mastery these ceramicists have over their craft in this rare opportunity!

Exhibition at Japan Creative Centre (JCC)

Exhibition at Mulan Gallery

Where is Japan Creative Centre (JCC)?

Is this your first time to Japan Creative Centre? Follow the map below to Japan Creative Centre now.

Getting to Japan Creative Centre
4 Nassim Road Singapore 258372
Tel: +65-6737-0434

By Public Bus:
Bus services: 7, 36, 77, 105, 106, 111, 123, 132, 174, 174E, 502, 502A, 502B (Alight in front of Delfi Orchard)
For latest information on bus routes and fares, please refer to SBS Transit.

By the MRT:
You may also take the MRT to the nearest MRT station, Orchard (NS22).
Train fares, travel times and route maps are available on the SMRT website.

Driving to JCC:
Nearest parking is at Orchard Hotel, Delfi Orchard and Orchard Parade Hotel.