Summary of Key Points
Yixing Tao Er Factory (formerly the site of the Second Purple Clay Craft Factory) has been transformed through a "micro-renovation" into an internet-famous cultural and creative district that blends traditional pottery culture with modern art and trendy lifestyle. The factory has hosted exhibitions at the UCCA Tao Art Museum, designed by Kengo Kuma, which features a dialogue between French Aculay pottery and contemporary ceramic arts. It also organizes monthly markets to attract young creators and includes a bookstore, a residency center, and other businesses. While striving to explore new possibilities for "pottery + art + lifestyle" in the heart of the traditional purple clay industry, it faces challenges such as attracting large crowds but not matching them with the right audience, and a relatively weak community of local creators. The facility is working hard to shift from being a place just for visitors to one that encourages long-term engagement.
I. Cultural Confrontations in the Exhibitions: French "Wild Pottery" Meets Yixing's "Renowned Purple Clay"
The UCCA exhibition brings French Aculay pottery and contemporary ceramic art together, representing a clash between two distinct artistic approaches:
- Aculay Pottery: Wild Experiments in the Post-War Countryside: After World War II, French youths moved to the countryside to set up workshops, even converting gas stations into production spaces. These non-traditional artists created unique pieces using cigarette packs as containers, casually carved white patterns, and assembled pet masks from ceramic balls. Their works were anonymous, with no focus on individual masters, reflecting a spirit of entrepreneurial experimentation in the ceramic world.
- Yixing Purple Clay: Centuries of Tradition and Strict Rules: Yixing's purple clay pottery is known for its master-apprentice tradition, where every step from clay to finished pot is done by hand within family workshops. The value of a pot often depends on the skill of the craftsman, reflecting the prestige of this long-established craft.
- Contemporary Artists' Intermediate Path: Chinese artists like Geng Xue use Liangzhu jade cong (ancient Chinese artifacts) as inspiration for their works, incorporating pandemic-related themes into mythical narratives. Other artists like Ou Ming allow natural changes to occur during the ceramic firing process, while Sun Yue uses primitive clay molding techniques to create sculptural forms. These artists do not completely reject traditional methods but treat ceramics as experimental materials.
The exhibition aims to break down the barriers of the purple clay industry and promote cultural exchange.
II. The Old Factory Building Transformed into an Internet-Famous Destination: A Gentle Approach to Urban Renewal
Tao Er Factory did not demolish the old buildings entirely but adopted a "micro-renovation" strategy with minimal disruption:
- Preservation of Historical Elements: The eastern area retains the red-brick workshops and terrazzo floors from the 1980s, as well as the original glazed eaves and red-brick buildings from the old factory department, creating a sense of time travel.
- Integration of Modern Elements: The central area is used for exhibitions and educational activities, while the western area houses the UCCA Art Museum (with a roof covered in thousands of hand-crafted ceramic tiles resembling rolling waves), along with a Bilibili documentary space and an international residency center.
- Innovative Layout: Visitors enter through the west gate, first stopping at the museum (a popular tourist attraction), then exploring the old buildings and markets, seamlessly connecting history with modernity.
This transformation not only preserves the heritage of Yixing but also revitalizes the old factory, creating a destination similar to Jingdezhen's Taoxichuan district. Netizens comment, "We don't have to travel to Jingdezhen anymore!"
III. The Challenges Behind the Popularity: The Dilemma of Attracting Visitors Without Generating Sales
Despite the success in attracting large crowds (over ten thousand visitors on weekends and more than a hundred market vendors), operational issues have emerged:
- Mismatch between Audience and Products: Gallery owners note that while there is much traffic, art shops struggle to sell their products. Free galleries are often overcrowded, similar to popular online stores that generate interest but lack profits.
- Mixed Business Types**: The district mixes high-end galleries with low-end vendors. Businesses along the river see little business due to the limited number of visitors, and most people gather on the main roads.
- Weak Community of Creators**: Compared to Jingdezhen, which has 60,000 young creators, only 40% of the vendors at Tao Er Factory are local. This indicates a lack of long-term residents in the creative community.
IV. From Attracting Visitors to Encouraging Long-Term Engagement: How to Turn Passersby into Dedicated Creators
Dingshu Town is taking steps to address this issue:
- Physical Infrastructure for Retention: They have built apartments for artists, offering studios at an annual rent of 20,000 yuan, and reserved land for experimental workshops and small galleries.
- Educational Programs: They have established the "Tao Du Xing Guang Class" to teach pottery skills and collaborated with institutions like the Central Academy of Fine Arts and Tsinghua University to create training programs to attract students.
- Sustainable Development: Instead of seeking instant fame, they focus on building a sustainable ecosystem that includes regular markets, residencies, and exhibitions, such as inviting 24 international ceramic artists each year to exchange ideas.
Tao Er Factory's goal is not to be a one-time attraction but to establish a "pottery lifestyle" that truly takes root. By encouraging more young people to stay and engage with pottery, visitors can experience the fusion of traditional culture and modern life, turning traffic into a source of genuine vitality for the community.
Conclusion: Tao Er Factory's Experiment as a Microcosm of Industrial Renewal
The story of Tao Er Factory reflects the challenges many old industrial sites face: how to transform old buildings into new spaces and integrate traditional industries with modern trends. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but this approach of gentle renovation, cultural empowerment, and gradual development could provide inspiration for other cities. It shows that sometimes, without complete demolition and reconstruction, preserving historical heritage and introducing fresh elements, even old places can be revitalized.