Introduction

Reditus & Veritas –Exhibition of Modern Ceramics by Zhang Jitao

Zhang Jitao, born in 1931 in Changsha, Hunan, currently resides in Taiwan. After moving to Taiwan in 1949, he attended and graduated from Military Technical School and Military Foreign Languages School. In 1976, he learnt under the famous Taiwanese ceramicist Mr. Lin Baojia and from then on has been devoting his body and soul into ceramic creations. Zhang has always followed his master's ideology of "Ceramics Living Arts"; his artworks fused both the past and the present, connecting beauty and functionality, most of his works are based on Chinese traditional containers, which he then integrates with modern ceramics' design and functionality, along with glazes of his personal style. This clearly portrays the meaning of ceramics living: A fuse of innovation and aesthetics.

In November, 2014, Mr. Zhang Jitao donated 75 sets (99 pieces of artwork) of the most iconic works in his ceramics career to the Hunan Museum. Within the collection, there are ceramic plates that cleverly combine calligraphy with paintings, vivid and lively animal ceramic sculptures and colorful glazed ceramics. These works condense Mr. Zhang' s perception of life, carrying his many years of creative passion and filled with a rich philosophy of life. This exhibition is truly a cultural feast of modern ceramics.