Zhang Shuyou - Lotus Field Pottery Workshop Introduction
"Located in the southern part of Zhushan Township, near Xiaohuangshan, Chentan Lane is filled with lotus flowers and water lilies throughout the seasons, resembling a paradise on earth. Zhang Shuyun is the owner of Chentan Lotus Field Ceramic Studio. Born and raised in Zhushan Township, Nantou County, Zhang has a deep passion for painting, and his spontaneous doodles ignited his creative journey. After experiencing the innocence of childhood and the struggles of youth, he resolutely turned to art shortly after completing his military service. Zhang immersed himself in painting and ceramic sculpture. His childhood in the countryside enriched his creative inspiration, and his exhibitions consistently resonate with viewers, earning him numerous awards. Notably, in 1992, he held a solo exhibition featuring Western painting at the Taichung Cultural Center, which was a significant encouragement for him at just thirty years old, marking his professional artistic journey. Throughout his creative path, Zhang engaged in both painting and sculpture. He believes that painting is a form of flat art that expresses the second dimension, while three-dimensional sculpture not only conveys deep emotional resonance but also requires consideration of various angles of structural form, demanding greater expressiveness and granting creators more freedom in their expression. His sculptural works, such as "Little Person's Rhapsody" in 2003, "Life Scenes" in 2004, and the "Shadow. Thinking" series in 2008, have garnered admiration. Zhang Shuyun's works predominantly feature figures, using muddy glazes or matte glazes to present a raw, unembellished texture. The traces left by bamboo knives reveal the capillary pores and underlying muscle lines with a sense of authenticity, inadvertently exposing the beauty of life's tragic flaws. Zhang states, "This world is inherently imperfect; let the works retain some space!" Balancing between exaggeration and restraint, his works exude a tragic ambience, akin to the Rhapsody of the small character in Lu Xun's Ah Q, constantly stirring the viewers' innermost feelings, which is the key to Zhang's successful creation. Particularly in the "Shadow. Thinking" series, he directly reflects floating shadows onto the works, creating different readings of "consciousness" and "subconscious." The ambiguous relationship between people and shadows hints at the unpredictable nature of humanity in the real world, questioning who the true protagonist of the work is, highlighting the diversity of Zhang's creative philosophy. It is hard to imagine that such a sharp creator as Zhang Shuyun retains the simplicity of a country person. He enjoys landscape design, having hand-crafted the surroundings of the Lotus Field Ceramic Studio, which encompasses about two acres around his ancestral home, featuring lotus fields, lily ponds, and ecological ponds, along with wooden paths, bridges, and pavilions, resembling a hidden paradise. To foster friendships, the Lotus Field Ceramic Studio transformed from a workspace into a beautiful garden café, its charming atmosphere often attracting many visitors. However, to avoid disrupting his creative time, it is only open to the public on weekends. Zhang has a passion for promoting ceramics, and visitors can witness his live creations at public pottery demonstration events or at the Lotus Field Ceramic Studio."
