‘MusiCLAY’ Exhibition in Hong Kong, China

‘Play Music Play Clay’: Ceramics x Music x Electronic Sound and Light: An Interactive an[...]

‘Play Music Play Clay’: Ceramics x Music x Electronic Sound and Light: An Interactive and Fun-filled Art Journey

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Organized by ‘Artistic Imagination’ under St. James’ Settlement Rehabilitation Services, the new exhibition ‘MusiCLAY’ will grandly open at the ‘Artistic Imagination Exhibition Hall’ in Wan Chai from November 5 to 19, 2024. This exhibition brings together 17 cross-border artists, ingeniously fusing elements of ceramics and music to create an unprecedented sensory stage. Breaking through traditional artistic boundaries, the exhibition will display a series of playful and experimental works, bringing highly inspiring visual and auditory experiences to the public. The exhibition consists of three major themes. Each theme challenges and expands the audience’s perception of the possibilities of ceramic art. Through the fusion of sound and matter, it explores more spaces for creation and expression. The exhibition venue will also be transformed into a performance stage. The audience can not only interact with artworks and create music but also immerse themselves in an environment of melody and rhythm and take pictures for commemoration.

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### Exhibition Highlights: Three Innovative Themes

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Thirteen ‘Artistic Imagination’ ceramic art creators ‘Apprentices’ and four artists from different fields (such as music, sound and light electronics, and ceramics) participate side by side. They conduct cross-border creations with ceramics and sound. After more than half a year of exploration and experimentation, they have established three major creative themes, each with its own characteristics, deeply exploring the wonderful interweaving of ceramics and music: ‘Ceramic Electronic Universe’

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In the theme of ‘Ceramic Electronic Universe’, the audience will step into an interactive installation space that combines ceramics and electronic sound and light effects. The creative highlights of this series include an innovative time-traveling ‘Shanzhai Gramophone’. This is not an ordinary gramophone that can play pre-recorded records but a new music creation device. Its operation requires the joint participation of the audience’s imagination, hands, ears, and eyes. When the audience interacts with the installation, their actions and sounds will be transformed into visual and auditory art, creating a unique music trajectory in the moment, making each experience unique. These works are a combination of ceramics, electronic technology, machinery, woodworking art, sound design, and light effect technology, demonstrating the charm of cross-border cooperation. Artists and sound and light electronics instructors Chen Yiyun and Lin Jianlin said: ‘We hope that every friend who comes into contact with the gramophone can create a unique light, shadow, and sound experience belonging to everyone with the ceramic apprentices and us in this special time and space.’

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#### ‘Ceramic Painting with Sound’

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In ‘Ceramic Painting with Sound’, ceramics are transformed into a new interactive medium. It is not only a display of visual art but also a tool for creating music.

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This innovative concept combines play and appreciation, utilizing clay from nature to allow visitors to personally experience the most primitive form of music – percussion. These ceramic instruments captivate the visual senses with their vibrant colors and capture the auditory senses with their unique timbres and tones, providing an interactive space for music creation. Here, visitors can create their own melodies and rhythms by touching and striking these instruments, experiencing the perfect fusion of music and ceramics.

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‘Sounds of Nature’ themed around the beauty and vibrancy of flowers, captures the purity and diversity of the natural world through ceramic art. These ceramic works, inspired by flowers, embody the rich aesthetic and delicate touch of nature. By combining sight, touch, and sound, the works aim to convey the beauty and poetry of nature, allowing visitors to experience the freshness and leisure of nature amidst the hustle and bustle of urban life through the interaction of ceramics and nature.

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The exhibition hopes to inspire visitors to delve deeper into their thoughts and associations with ceramics through these works with personal styles. Artist and ceramic instructor Zhang Qixin shares: ‘Even without a musical background, visitors can use the tools provided on-site to personally experience and create music melodies with their own personal style. Through interaction, they can deeply feel the unique charm of ceramics, nature, and music interwoven.’

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Preview of the ‘Ceramic Music MusiCLAY’ Exhibition Tour: The ‘Ceramic Music MusiCLAY’ exhibition will hold multiple tour exhibitions between 2024 and 2025, introducing more types of new works, giving more people the opportunity to experience this cross-disciplinary art world. We invite every interested friend to visit this audio-visual feast, explore the infinite possibilities of ceramics and music together, and experience this unique artistic exchange. The exhibition is open from 11/05 to 11/19, Tuesday to Saturday, 13:00-18:00. Performance times and durations are subject to the venue.