MADE IN CHINA

DESCRIPTION

This wearable sculpture/bag is a stunning example of meticulous craftsmanship, crafted from the finest white and cobalt blue hand-boarded Madras vegetable-tanned goatskin, with magnificent motifs inspired by the blue-and-white porcelains from the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, China, beautifully printed onto the surface.

The bag's exterior features a detachable, extravagant hairpiece adorned with goatskin flowers and a pair of ruyi-shaped jar handles elegantly resting on the shoulder of the back panel. Adding to the whimsy of the piece is an auction leather hangtag hanging from one of the handles.

The bag is further embellished with a pair of hand-polished, mirror-finished 316L stainless steel 'hands' in the form of a Morningstar, a signature emblem of the iCONS+ series. The bag is secured with a smooth Raccagni silver-tone zipper and comes with a front flap pocket that features a monster face, adding yet another unique detail to this collectible piece.

The interior of the bag is fully lined in electric blue recycled cotton twill and has a small goatskin patch pocket. The artisan mark “E” and year of production mark “A” are stamped on the back of the right zipper stopper, signifying the attention to detail that went into creating this exquisite piece.

The bag is versatile and can be worn as a crossbody or shoulder bag with a single shoulder strap, or as a backpack with double shoulder straps. Alternatively, it can also be displayed as a stunning art object, showcasing the unique craftsmanship and whimsical design that make it such a one-of-a-kind piece.

MORE DETAILS

H20 x W14 x D10 cm (8” x 5.5” x 4”)
Exterior: 100% Hand-boarded Madras goatskin
Interior: One goatskin patch pocket
Trims (Headdress & Flowers): 100% Hand-boarded Madras goatskin
100% Recycled cotton twill lining
Front flap pocket with magnetic closure
Two adjustable shoulder straps
Removable ruyi-shaped jar handles
Hand-polished mirror finished 316L stainless steel hardware
Required 48 hours for one artisan to make
Cross-body, shoulder bag and backpack
Can also be displayed as an art object
Individually handmade in China
Reference No. CX23U0104011

STORY

Made in China is a conceptually layered piece that was inspired in part by the magnificent blue-and-white porcelains from Yongle reign (1403-1424) of the Ming Dynasty. Prized for its sublime beauty, blue-and-white porcelains from Jindezhen, China are widely circulated, copied and re-created by ceramists worldwide, becoming the most well-known and a pinnacle of Chinese porcelain. The Louvre, the British Museum, the Vatican Museums, and many other institutions around the world have porcelains from Jingdezhen, China. Blue-and-white porcelains have continued to set new records at auction houses in recent years. On 7 September, 2011, an exceptionally rare and specially-themed of Chinese’s blue-and-white porcelain Vase from the Ming Dynasty was sold for 21.6 million at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. It became one of the most expensive Asian works of art. But what is this porcelain and what is the allure of Chinese’s blue-and-white porcelain that collectors and connoisseurs around the world pay astronomical sums for Jingdezhen porcelain?

Qinghuaci (青花瓷), or better know in Europe and North America as blue-and-white porcelain, refers to ceramics painted with surface designs in cobalt blue pigment under a translucent glaze. The distinctive monochromes of blues come from cobalt ores imported from Persia, which were a scarce ingredient at the time and only available to artisans in limited quantities. The history of Chinese blue and white porcelain dates back to the Tang dynasty (618 – 906), and peaked in the Ming dynasty (1336 - 1644) in the early 1700s.

In the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), ceramists at Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, the capital of China porcelain, refined the porcelain production process by using other pigments for underglaze decorations, and painting colored enamels over the glaze, and adding an additional firing at lower temperature to harden the surfaces. Jingdezhen became the porcelain capital due to its unique manufacturing system, which allowed ceramists to produce exquisite porcelain in large quantities without mechanical assistance. This system arose from conjoining state intervention and local social formations.

Using the simple palette of blue and white, Jingdezhen ceramists incorporate a wide variety of decorative techniques: combining dark and light blue to create striking contrast, or using areas reserved in white to create motifs on a densely painted blue background. Jingdezhen ceramists produced porcelains for the imperial courts and everyday use, for all sorts of Chinese tastes, and for international consumers who craved distinctly different forms and surface decoration. From the simplest to the most baroque designs, from the tiniest and most delicate to the sturdiest and most vigorous forms – Jingdezhen producers have made them all.

Over four centuries, blue-and-white porcelain became the most widely traded ware in world history, capturing an enormous transnational market.. Europe saw the first porcelain sets in the 17th century, brought by the Portuguese, which were sold at incredibly high prices, often for an equal weight in gold. The Dutch followed their lead and expanded the trade, bringing porcelains and other oriental goods into the docks in Amsterdam and London. In the first 50 years of the 17th century, more than three million pieces of Chinese porcelains (including thousands of teapots, tea bowls and saucers) were imported into Europe, and customers for these exquisite tablewares included King Henry IV of France and James I of England. Jingdezhen has played such an important role in world trade that some believe the town gave China its English-language name. Blue-and-white porcelain is the creative fruit of the humble working people of ancient China, and a physical representation of the striking beauty of Chinese antique arts and a symbol of imperial culture in China.

Made in China was inspired by the enduring beauty of the blue-and-white porcelains from Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The exterior of the ‘vessel’ was printed with varying tones of cobalt blue in bold and fluent brush strokes, with three magnificently-depicted imperial dragons with well-defined scales striding and soaring sinuously amidst cloud scrolls in pursuit of a flaming pearl above the crashing waves skirting the lower body. The mythical beasts depicted on the surface of the work symbolize the rise of China as a new super power, both politically and economically, in the world system. Also featured on the back panel was a printed Yongle four-character reign mark and a pair of cobalt blue ruyi shaped jar handles elegantly resting on the shoulder of the back panel.

Another highlight of Made in China is the massive towering headpiece sat majestically on the top of the work. The inspiration came from the Lianbatou, an extravagant headpiece worn by Manchu women in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The practice of wearing the Lianbatou evolved from a simple hair arrangement to a reflection of political intention during the twilight of the Qing Dynasty and Early Republican period (1910s-1930s). The practice of wearing the Lianbatou became a theatrical display of social status, a symbol of Manchu ethnicity, and the hope of re-imperializing the waning power of the Qing Dynasty.

The title of the work, Made in China, directly references the strategic industrial policy initiative known as "Made in China 2025," which was launched by the Chinese government in 2015 with the goal of transforming China into a high-tech manufacturing powerhouse. It aims to upgrade China's manufacturing sector by encouraging innovation, developing advanced technologies, and promoting domestic production of high-value goods. The initiative was introduced as part of China's broader economic development plan to transition from being the world's factory, which primarily focused on low-cost manufacturing and exports, to becoming a global leader in high-tech industries and innovation. "Made in China 2025" seeks to propel China's industries up the value chain, improve product quality, and reduce the country's dependence on foreign technology.

Made in China is conceptually layered. It juxtaposes the ancient and humble traditional Chinese pottery with the extravagant symbol of affluence represented by the Lianbatou. This contrast provokes a discussion about the multifaceted nature of China's rise— from its determination to shed the burden of colonial legacy to President Xi Jinping's ambition to revive China's imperial past and establish a so-called heavenly dynasty. The artwork also explores the implications of China's quiet ascent as a new global superpower, both politically and economically, within the world system. It prompts contemplation on the challenges and consequences of China's growing influence and the transformations it brings to the global balance of power.

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