PLYCELAIN || Hand-crafted Multilayered Porcelain Ware Unveils a Unique Version of Blue and White
“ I thought it was fun to utilize mass production techniques while keeping the genuineness of the craftsmanship spirit and create my version of blue-and-white” - Yuting Chang.
And just like that, Plycelain was born. It is Yuting’s fondness towards the traditional blue and white porcelain of China that led to the creation of the multilayered slip casting porcelain ware. However, unlike the traditional blue and white patterns glazed on the surface, Plycelain is built with patterns inside the clay. The predominantly matte cream tableware exhibits a minimal and elegant aesthetic on the outside, but as you look closer, you will find intricate patterns of blue-and-white skillfully embedded within the clay. Yuting’s contemporary spin on this age-old classic transforms the century-old art form into contemporary, geometric pieces that can easily accommodate today’s modern kitchen designs.
Soup bowl from the Plycelain collection
Coffee cup from the Plycelain collection
The name of the collection “Plycelain” is a term coined by the Chicago-based ceramics designer which describes the intricate layering of the clay, much like the way it is done with plywood. The technique used to acquire this trait is through applying slip casting, a common, mass-production technique for ceramics. Using adapted techniques of slip casting, Yuting was able to achieve layers which emerge as subtle blue lines exposed on the cut surfaces. “The lines of the layers emphasize the beautiful relationship between assembled parts, and highlight its own making process of hand-building”, described Yuting. Through the directions of the lines, users can easily make sense of the individual components that are meticulously fused together to create the stunning piece.
Intricate layered details on the mug's handle and saucer
Yuting further emphasized on the slip casting technique, which she described as a method used for mass production after Chinese porcelain has been industrialized. However, Yuting was able to adapt the same technique for her work without losing authenticity and craftsmanship in the process.
“The manufacturing process is about large quantities of standardized products and is not concerned with the aesthetics of human vitality. I thought it was fun to utilize mass production techniques while keeping the genuineness of the craftsmanship spirit and create my version of blue-and-white.”
The idea of the internal pattern came to Yuting as she was thinking about how to create a blue pattern without actually painting on the clay in the traditional way. She elaborated that even though it wasn’t the first time for artists to use layer slip casting - and that there are already many masterpieces out there which applied this same technique - the difference lies in the ways that she takes the layered clay a step further through the addition of hand-building techniques. Different components are cast in various moulds before they are individually assembled by hand to achieve the desired look. By doing this, details like the mugs’ handles and saucers’ feet can visibly stand out from the rest of the body due to the different directional patterns.
From cups to saucers, to bowls and plates, Plycelain is a collection that retains the old spirit of traditional blue-and-white porcelain, yet in a much more functional and modern form to incorporate into modern kitchens today. To see more of Yuting Chang’s work, visit here.
Artist: Yuting Chang
Website: https://yuting.studio/
Instagram @yutingpera
Photography Courtesy of Yuting Chang
