Pottering about in Yingge

Ceramic artifacts provide a colorful sight at the Ceramics Park in Yingge. PHOTO: DEREK LEE, TAIPEI TIMES

Taiwan's ceramic-producing town is attempting to get itself noticed on the international stage by holding a large-scale festival, the fifth such event, at the renowned Ceramics Museum and Ceramics Park of Yingge Township (鶯歌鎮), Taipei County.

In conjunction with a special exhibition called Sound of the Ceramics, which offers an auditory take on the town's famous product and is being held in the museum next to the park, the two-week-long festival will feature weekend street parades, puppet shows, ceramic flute and wind chime classes, mini-kiln workshops for beginners and evening concerts.

International ceramists such as Bob Kinzie and Monika Debus and Yingge potters will demonstrate creative and traditional techniques, such as raku, modeling, throwing, glaze painting, carving and coiling in a large tent booth on the site during the weekends. In addition, activities offered at the Little Pot Boot Camp include domino games, a mud spa, sand sculpture and mosaic puzzles.

This year's event features the Jolly Mini-Kiln, the brain-child of a group of college students from the Department of Crafts and Design, National Taiwan University of Arts (台灣藝術大學工藝設計學系). Visitors will be able to experience on-site firing by constructing mini kilns. After the necessary skills are mastered visitors will be able to construct kilns at home.

The festival organizers are also promoting cultural tours of Yingge and its twin township, Sanshia, by providing a tour bus service that shows visitors nearby cultural sights including the Masters Temple in Sanshia (三峽祖師廟), Li Mei-shu Memorial Gallery (李梅樹紀念館), Yingge Old Street (陶瓷老街) and the Taihwa Pottery (台華窯), which is well-known for producing high-quality ceramic gift items for the Presidential Office.

Exhibition notes:
What: Yingge International Ceramics Festival 2005
Where: Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum and Ceramics Park (台北縣立鶯歌陶瓷博物館及陶瓷公園預定地)
When: Now until Oct. 23, weekends from 9:30am to 7pm.
Fee: NT$250 for a festival pass per person including entrance fee, local cultural bus tour and game tickets.
Phone: (02)8677 2727 X 612
Web site: www.ceramics.tpc.gov.tw