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2021

Date: September 23, 7:00 pm SGT

Making Museums, Making Merit

Gifts have been stored and displayed at sacred sites in Myanmar for millennia as they have elsewhere within the Buddhist world. How have temples managed ever-accumulating collections? And how are objects kept ‘activated’ by curators and devotees? Dr. Tan explored how diverse objects of merit-making, from sacred images to personal possessions such as ceramics, have been collected and displayed at pagoda museums in Myanmar. Ritual protocols that challenged mainstream museum conventions were notable, particularly during pagoda renovations undertaken as Myanmar opened up after 2011. It is timely too, given the current crises, to reflect on these changes and what they tell us about pagoda museums and the growing importance of socially engaged museum practices.

To see the original flyer, click here. 

SEACS members can watch the video on the Premium Video page.

Venue:
A e-talk by Dr. Heidi Tan on ZOOM

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, 10 February 2016

Date: August 18, 7:00 pm SGT

Wishing for Noble Sons

The desire for children permeated all strata of society in traditional China – from farmers who needed sons to help them work the land, to emperors who needed sons to perpetuate dynasties. This wish for children was reflected in both the two- and three-dimensional arts from at least as early as the Tang dynasty.  This lecture by art expert Rosemary Scott will examine the way in which depictions of children developed over time, and how – especially in the Ming and Qing dynasties – additional themes and meanings came to be incorporated.

For more information, click here.

SEACS members can watch the video on the Premium Video page.

Venue:
A e-talk on ZOOM

“Children taking young magpies out of their nest”, a traditional Chinese New Year woodblock print

Dates: July 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 & August 4

Introduction to Chinese & Asian Ceramics: A Baker’s Dozen of Talks

A series of 12 sessions plus a bonus event introducing the ceramics of the region by the society’s collectors and academic experts. To view the total programme, click here.

SEACS members can watch the entire series of videos on the Premium Video page.

Venue:
A series of talks and sharing sessions on ZOOM

Date: Wednesday, 21 July 8:00-9:00 pm (Singapore time)

Adventures in Yuan Blue & White

Steve Gaskin discusses the rediscovery of Yuan blue and white porcelain in the 20th century; the importance of shards from Trowulan, Java; and his efforts to restore and exhibit the largest collection of Yuan blue and white in the world, located in Delhi, India. Despite its fame today, the very existence of Yuan blue and white was forgotten for almost 600 years. There is still much about it that we do not know. Steve Gaskin is a collector and student of Yuan blue and white porcelain and recently donated his collection of Yuan blue and white porcelain shards to the Palace Museum in Beijing.

For more information, click here.

SEACS members can watch the video on the Premium Video page.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

Yuan Blue & White

Date: Wednesday, 9 June 8:00-9:00 pm (Singapore time)

Ancient Southeast Asian Pottery from the perspective of a Practitioner

In this talk, Alan Lacovetsky discussed both modern and ancient Southeast Asian pottery from the perspective of a practitioner. Topics covered included many of the secrets of wood-firing kilns and how to influence a firing’s results dependent on the type of wood used, the placement of the ceramics within the kiln, the use of saggers, ash glazes (including the beautiful glazes that can result from the use of apple tree wood), firing temperatures and many other factors of a successful firing. Lastly, he shared with us his insights of the pottery he saw (both past and present) at the ancient site of Angkor Wat.

To see the original flyer, click here.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

A pot from Phnom Kulen with a green wood ash glaze. Courtesy: NUS Museum

Date: Sunday, 9 May 7:00-8:00 pm (Singapore time)

English Crested Porcelain and the First World War

In this talk, Dr. Alexander Nicholas Shaw discussed the role English Crested Porcelain played in the ceramics history of the UK.

The talk explored the English crested china craze of the 1880s-1930s, shedding light on the social history of mass-market porcelain collecting, which turned its manufacturers’ attention from holiday souvenirs to WWI patriotic statuary that included tanks, submarines, zeppelins, soldiers, nurses, weapons, busts of generals and even a British spy. To see the original flyer, click here.

SEACS members can watch the video on the Premium Video page.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

A Carlton China munitionette and her shells

Date: Wednesday, 14 April, 8:00-9:00 pm (Singapore time)

Mending Pots

Experienced potter, glass-blower and collector Jane Dorner of the U.K., shared with SEACS members how to fix their cracked or broken pots using some simple tools and supplies that can be purchased from most hardware stores. They also learned what one needs to consider before restoring, fixing or tossing that damaged pot. Many cultures see beauty in imperfection; is it time for westerners to re-think what is beautiful? To see the original flyer, click here.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

A kintsugi (金継ぎ, “golden joinery”) pot showing the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery

Date: Saturday, 20 March, 5:00-6:30 pm (Singapore time)

The 22nd Annual William Willetts Lecture

We were delighted to welcome back a former William Willetts Speaker for this year’s lecture: the renowned ceramic expert Rose Kerr. Her topic was the beautiful and ever-popular northern celadon ceramics from Yaozhou.  To see the original flyer, click here.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

Yaozhou, Song Dynasty, courtesy: ACM

Date: Wednesday, 24 February, 7:00-8:30 pm (Singapore time)

An Introduction to the Mingei Film Archive Project

Director Marty Gross worked in Japan as an apprentice potter in the 1970s and has devoted his professional life to the study and teaching of ceramics and in building a unique film archive of the early days of the Mingei (or folk art) Movement. In this talk he shared some of his archival footage, explaining the history and story behind the Mingei Movement and introduced some of its greatest practitioners to us through film clips and their work.  To see the original flyer, click here.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

Poster of the Mashiko Festival in 2010

Date: Wednesday, 27 January, 7:00-8:30 pm (Singapore time)

An Overview of the Evolution of Japanese Ceramic Culture

Speaker Christopher P. Wells reviewed the historic progression of Japanese ceramic culture from Neolithic times through to the emergence of the Japanese ‘folk art’ craze in the 1950s in this richly illustrated talk. Our speaker grew up in Japan and has lived there for 36 years. He and his family have been avid collectors of Japanese ceramics for more than 70 years. For more information, click here. For a pdf of his slide presentation with suggested sites to visit for more information, click here.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

Kotozuka Potter

2020

Date: Wednesday, 9 December, 7:00-8:30 pm (Singapore time)

Understanding Ming: Approaches to the Study of Ming Material Culture

This talk examined the art and artefacts of the Ming Dynasty with a view to exploring approaches to the study and connoisseurship of Chinese material culture. Our speaker was Dr. Stacey Pierson, the former Curator of the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art and a Reader in the History of Chinese Ceramics (SOAS). For more information, click here.

SEACS members can watch the video on the Premium Video page.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM

A Chenghua doucai wine cup

Date: Wednesday, 18 November, 7:00-8:30 pm (Singapore time)

Members’ Sharing Programme

Acquisition Experiences: The Good, the Bad, and the Inbetween 

This was the third in SEACS’ 2020 programme of member presentations. The focus was  ‘Acquisition Experiences’ and the artefacts ranged from several Tang artefacts (a mingqi figurine, a Changsha bowl, and a phoenix-headed ewer) to a contemporary Vietnamese ceramic sculpture by Nguyen Khac Quan, a selection of small blue & white Yuan jars, to several Japanese ceramics, a Staffordshire figurine of Lord Raglan (1854), and a modern ‘Xuande period’ cricket container from Jingdezhen. Every story included a lesson learned, an amusing incident, a successful auction result, or an unexpected outcome. Members dialed in from Tokyo to Toronto and all agreed it was a most entertaining and fruitful evening.

Venue:
An e-talk on ZOOM
Members and their invited guests only

Small blue & white Yuan jars

Date: Saturday, 17 October, 3:00-4:30 pm (Singapore time)

景德镇 Jingdezhen

Jingdezhen‘s Supply Chain from Fu Liang to Guangzhou 

Located in Jiangxi Province, in Southeast China, China’s most famous ceramic production center was ideally situated in terms of both natural resources and location. In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the emperor Zhenzong (宋真宗) selected Jingdezhen (景德镇) to be an imperial porcelain production center in the year 1004, becoming the main imperial production center until the end of the Qing era.  During the Ming (1368-1664) and the Qing Dynasty (1664-1911), the quantity of porcelain produced by Jingdezhen increased dramatically both in production as well as the quality of its products. Jingdezhen had become an industrial center of export wares.  This presentation highlighted the sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of Jingdezhen ceramics. You can download a pdf of all the slides here.

Tracey Yeh is a Singapore resident and a long-time volunteer docent with the National Heritage Board, guiding in the Asian Civilisations Museum for eight years. She is originally from Taiwan but has also lived in the USA where she obtained an MBA from Tulane University (located in the enchanting New Orleans, Louisiana).  She works as a vice president of a US fintech company that specializes in building data centers around the world. She is a Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) by profession, so the supply chain is a topic very close to her heart. Tracey gave this talk previously to the Singapore docent community and it was by popular demand that we asked her to repeat it for members of the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society and our guests. Guests dialed in globally, included a stalwart group from California.

Date: Wednesday, 16 September, 7:00 pm

Persian Architectural Tiles

The spread of the Islamic faith also facilitated its culture and art through the ancient world. Although Islamic art retains an overall character, there are a great many traditions and local preferences that emerged over time. Islamic architectural ceramic tiles can be regarded as representing a high point in one of the most magnificent forms of decorative art in the world. Margaret focused on the development of the monumental architectural tiles in Iran (formerly Persia). She also examined the principal styles of ceramic tiles, their decorative designs and techniques as well as touching on the links between Persia, the West and Southeast Asia.

Margaret White is a teacher by profession and lived in Singapore from 1991-2011 where she became heavily involved in most aspects of the Friends of the Museum including its President and Advisor. Her passion for Asian art and culture spurred her on to complete an MA in Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore. She has taught in the Department of Visual Arts at La Salle/SIA College of the Arts and designed workshops for teachers and students visiting the art museum. She has served on the Committee of Management of The Asian Arts Society of Australia (TAASA) since 2012 and for the last 7 years she has convened the NSW Ceramic Study Group. She continues to lecture, write and paint. Margaret has been a member of SEACS for over a decade.

Date: Wednesday, 19 August, 7:00 pm

How Singapore Acquired the Tang Shipwreck Treasures

Alvin Chia, President of the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society (2008-2011) and a key member of the team that brought this unique shipwreck collection to Singapore, spoke on how the Singapore Government acquired the coveted Tang Shipwreck treasures from the Belitung Shipwreck in 2005 against strong competition from museums in China and the Middle East.

The shipwreck was discovered in Indonesian waters in 1998 by a sea cucumber fisherman.  Between two monsoon seasons in 1998 and 1999, the treasures were recovered from the seabed of a coral reef. Inbetween the two seasons, some artifacts were stolen but were heroically recovered.  Many were found in pristine condition having being protected by sand for over a thousand years.

Alvin took us through the story behind the fund-raising effort that led to the generous donation that made the purchase possible. He also shared with us never-before seen pictures of the secret storeroom in an apple farm in New Zealand in which the ceramics were desalinated, and shared interesting details behind some of the key pieces (some of which have never been on public display). It was a fascinating journey and story behind the collection that is now on rotating display at Singpore’s Asian Civilisations Museum (with a smaller exhibition in Singapore’s Goodwood Park Hotel).

Date: Wednesday, 29 July 2020, 7:00 pm

Virtual Series #2: Ceramics in Scholarly Taste

Following the ‘wenren’, or literati vibe from the first Sharing Session, 36 members met again on 29 July via ZOOM to further explore ceramic objects of scholarly taste. We are delighted to see familiar faces of ceramic enthusiasts joining us from Singapore, Australia, and Europe.
 
SEACS Vice President, Kenson Kwok, opened the discussions and shared the basics of literati in historical context. Nine members presented 22 artefacts in total, including water droppers, brush holders, an oil lamp, bowls, porcelain flute, a sculpture, etc. Though the concept of ‘wenren’ is often associated with Chinese, it was fascinating to hear presenters’ unconventional and compelling interpretations of ‘scholarly taste’ and to picture objects from Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia to fit nicely in a scholar’s studio. 
 
We ended the talk with the understanding that scholars’ roles and engagements in art varied in different times in different societies, the forms and styles of ceramic wares they collected had also evolved. We will continue the dialogue on acquisition and collection of ceramics in the next sharing session.

Date: Wednesday, 15 July 2020, 7:00 pm

Navigating the Art Auction Ecosystem

A talk by Andrew Nai, a SEACS Life Member and Council Member since 2016, and experienced auction seller/buyer, explained how art auctions work, the various players and roles that each of them plays, and shared some tips on how to be successful yourself at art auctions.

View the original flyer here…

Date: Wednesday, 24 June 2020, 7:00 pm

Virtual Series #1: Ceramics in Scholarly Taste

A programme featuring a variety of ceramics that may (or may not) have captured a space in a traditional Chinese scholar’s studio. We’ll look at ceramics ranging from brush pots to ‘playthings’, each introduced by a member of the Society from his or her own collection, or from a favourite museum’s gallery. First in a series of ‘virtual sharing sessions’.

Highlights from the event here.

Date: Wednesday, 13 May 2020, 7:00 pm

Reflections on Collecting

A talk by Dr. Kenson Kwok on the interface between private and institutional collecting and how one can feed the other, but also why they should remain quite distinct.

more …

To be rescheduled from: Friday, 17 April 2020

William Willetts Annual Lecture: Celadons of the North – The Ceramics of Yaozhou

We regret the cancellation of this event due to Covid-19; SEACS will try to reschedule.

more …

7.00pm Friday, 31 January 2020

History of SEACS 1969-2019

A Powerpoint™ presentation by Patricia Welch on the history of SEACS since its founding in 1969 including its past exhibitions, publications, and significant events.

Venue:
Visitors’ Briefing Room, Level 1
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

To order a copy of the book, click here; to read a short history of the society click here; to download a pdf of the presentation click here

2019

4.00pm Sunday, 8 December 2019

Year-end SEACS Open House

SEACS members celebrated the end of its 2019 activities with an early holiday season Open House where members met and shared a variety of treats with the SEACS Council and their fellow members.

Venue:
A private home, to be advised

more …

7.00pm Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Learn from the Experts: Chinese Celadons / Longquan

A talk by Andrew Nai and Johanes Rizal on Longquan / Chinese Celadons, a type of greenware that orginated from the Longquan kilns in Zhejiang province, East China.

Venue:
82 Cairnhill Road
Singapore 22968

more …

11.00am-6.00pm Saturday & Sunday, 9 & 10 November 2019

SEACS Members’ Ceramics and Books Sale

SEACS members and their friends were invited to a two-day sale of members’ previously-owned ceramics, art books and magazines. This annual event is always a crowd pleaser as it’s both social and helpful.

Venue:
Antiques of the Orient
#02-40, 19 Tanglin Road
Tanglin Shopping Centre
Singapore 247909
more …

7.00pm Wednesday, 6 November 2019

The Artists Who Captured Victorian England in Clay

A talk by Tim Clark on the potters in Staffordshire who during the early 19th century began to produce ceramic figures that chronicled the important characters and events of the day.

Venue:
Imagination Room, Level 5
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 1880644

more …

6.30pm Sunday, 6 October 2019

Chinese Export Ware for Thai Elites: Bencharong

A talk by Paul Bromberg on Bencharong, a kind of painted Thai ceramics made in China in the 18th and early 19th centuries exclusively for Siamese royalty.

Venue:
Visitors’ Briefing Room, Level 1
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

more …

4.00pm Sunday, 21 July 2019

How Ceramic Shards Talk. . . Revealing a Wealth of Information

A talk by Dr D. Kyle Latinis on how archaeologists work, and how they maximise data collections from shards.

Venue:
Visitors’ Briefing Room, Level 1
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

more …

10:00am, 2 July or 10 October 2019

Special Visit to Singapore’s Heritage Conservation Centre (HCC)

A tour of the facilities and its workshops with special emphasis placed on the ceramics kept at the HCC. This is a rare opportunity to visit this excellent facility managed by Singapore’s National Heritage Board. The staff have also prepared a 90-minute workshop for SEACS members.

Venue:
32 Jurong Port Road
Singapore 61904

more …

7:00pm Thursday, 13 June 2019

Blue and White Ware Mantras: Sanskrit Inscriptions on Ming Ceramics

A talk by Dr Iain Sinclair on Ming blue-and-white ware mantras: Sanskrit inscriptions on Ming ceramics. A link to his bibliography for recommended reading can be downloaded here.

Venue:

Visitors’ Briefing Room, Level 1

National Library Building

100 Victoria Street

Singapore 188064

more …

3:00pm Sunday, 5 May 2019

Chinese Nautical Charts: Their Types and Modern Application

A talk by Dr Iain Tai Yew Seng on the different types of Chinese nautuical charts

Venue:

Ngee Ann Auditorium

Asian Civilisations Museum

1 Empress Place

Singapore 179555

more …

12-19 April 2019

A SEACS Special Study Trip to Jingdezhen, Longquan, and Hangzhou, China

SEACS members were invited to a study trip to Jingdezhen, Longquan and Hangzhou, in which they visited Jingdezhen and its China Ceramic Museum, the Longquan Celadon Museum, the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, the Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Museum, Hangzhou, Chinese Silk City, numerous historic kiln sites, and other interesting places.

Read more about this exciting expedition to three great ceramic centres here …

6:00pm Saturday 15 March 2019

The William Willetts Annual Lecture: Singapore, the Santa Catarina Incident and the Launch of ‘China Mania’

Open to all is SEACS’ 21st annual William Willetts Lecture by Assoc. Professor Peter Borschberg who after extensive research will recount the story of the Santa Catarina Incident and the its aftermath. A reception was held before the event for all guests and SEACS members to celebrate the society’s 50th anniversity.

Venue:

The Pod

National Library Building

100 Victoria Street

Singapore 188064

Read Professor Borschberg’s article “The Seizure of the Sta. Catarina Revisited” (2002) here.

7:00pm Wednesday 13 March 2019

Cataloging the Ceramic Collection of Augustus the Strong

Former SEACS Councillor Maura Rinaldi, a renowned authority of kraak ceramics, returned to Singapore to share details of the work being done by scholars, cataloging the ceramic collection of Augustus the Strong in Dresden. Maura pictured here (right) in the collection’s underground storage area.

Venue:

To be announced

Singapore

Read more here.

7:00pm Wednesday 20 February 2019

The ‘Shirt-Sleeved Diplomat’: Malcolm MacDonald in Malaya and Singapore

100+ Members of the China Society and SEACS joined together for a special dinner and talk by special guest speaker Dr. Alexander Shaw on the diplomat Malcolm MacDonald, who spent many years in Asia and was known to both societies as a great collector with many interests (including ceramics).

Venue:

Tanglin Club

5 Stevens Road

Singapore 257814

Read more here.

6:30pm Tuesday 12 February 2019

‘Sister Ships’: Three 12th Century Shipwrecks in Southeast Asian Waters

The exciting stories behind the finding and salvaging of three shipwrecks: the Pulau Buaya, the Lingga, and the Flying Fish, all found in Southeast Asian waters, shared by one of the region’s foremost marine archaeologists, Dr. Michael Flecker. All three ships were transporting Chinese ceramics and ironware to Southeast Asian markets when they sank.

Venue:

Imagination Room, Level 5

National Library Building

100 Victoria Street

Singapore 188064

Read more here.

7:00pm Thursday, 24 January 2019

William Young Willetts: Sinologist, Ceramics Expert & Curator of the NUS Art Museum 1963-1973

The founder of the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society arrived in Singapore, hired by NUS to be the NUS Art Museum’s curator 1963-1973. Author of a well-received book on Chinese art, he was a sinologist and ceramics expert, who was instrumental in awakening the world to Southeast Asian ceramics. Professor Kwa Chong Guan was one of his early students and shared his history and stories with SEACS members in a memorable talk.

Venue:

Briefing Room, Level 1

National Library Building

100 Victoria Street

Singapore 188064

Read more here.

17-20 January 2019

SEACS Members’ Study Tour to Thailand

SEACS members travelled to Thailand to attend a special bencharong exhibition and conference curated by SEACS Life Member Dawn Rooney; to visit the outstanding Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum on the campus of Bangkok University, Pathum Thani; and to tour several historical museums in the Thai ancient capital city of Ayutthaya. It was a busy long week-end with many highlights, including the opportunity for the early-risers in the group to pick up shards of Chinese ceramics that can still be found along the banks of the Ayutthaya River. See the original itinerary here. Read the final trip report here.

Bangkok & Ayutthaya, Thailand

Read more here.

2018

4 pm, Sunday, 16 December 2018

Building the Freer|Sackler Southeast Asian Ceramic Collection with Louise Allison Cort

SEACS members are invited to a talk on Freer|Sackler Museum’s Southeast Asian ceramic collection, a superb study collection of study ceramics. Accessible online.

Venue:

To be confirmed

Read more here.

11 am-5pm, Saturday, 24 November 2018

SEACS Members’ Ceramic Sale

SEACS members do a little housekeeping of their collections. Members and their friends are invited to this one-day sale of ceramics ‘moving on’ to new homes.

Venue:

To be confirmed

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 3 November 2018

Visit to a Private Collection of Shiwan Ceramics

SEACS members were invited to visit a member’s home to view his superb private collection of Shiwan ceramic pieces. Visitors gained first-hand knowledge of these special ceramics and the stories behind them and enjoyed sharing collecting stories over a cup of tea at this special SEACS members-only event.

Venue:

Venue address to be confirmed

Read more here.

4pm, Sunday, 7 October 2018

Letting their Pottery Talk: Insights on the Philistines and their Culture as seen through their Ceramic Remains

Visiting Professor Aren M. Maeir talked about his work as an archaeologist exploring ancient Philistine sites in Israel.

Venue:

Briefing Room, Level 1
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

4pm, Saturday, 15 September 2018

Visit to the Hall of the Phoenix and Peony

SEACS members were the special recipients of a very unique invitation to visit a private home that had been turned into a private museum featuring a wide variety of outstanding Peranakan artefacts ranging from furniture to sculpture and other art works and of course, ceramics.

Venue:

Venue address to be confirmed

Read more here.

7 pm, Monday, 30 July 2018

Ivan Polunin: A Daughter’s Memories

Ivan Polunin’s daughter, now an artist and collector in her own right, shared stories about her father, the late Dr. Ivan Polunin–author, scientist, medical doctor, photographer, film maker, and collector–and his various interests. Members will always remember the generosity with which he shared his collections. Vintage films were also shown.

Venue:

Venue address to be confirmed

Read more here.

7 pm, Thursday, 21 June 2018

Learn from the Experts: Vietnamese Ceramics

An opportunity for SEACS members to bring Vietnamese ceramics from their collections to share with other members and to discuss one of our member-specialists for help on the identification and dating. SEACS holds several information-sharing sessions a year, which are always very popular with its members. Participation was usually limited when sharing in person but some online sharing is also scheduled.

Venue:

Venue address to be confirmed

Read more here.

3pm, Sunday, 20 May 2018

A Pre-Lecture Talk followed by a Guided Tour of the Angkor Exhibition at the ACM

An opportunity for SEACS members to join a talk and guided tour of the new Angkor Wat exhibition at Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum. The guided tour was led by a SEACS member who was also a docent at the museum.

Venue:

Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore

Read more here.

7pm, Monday, 16 April 2018

The Ceramic Collection of the National Museum of Indonesia

SEACS members enjoyed a virtual introduction to the collection of the National Museum of Indonesia, due to be closed in the near future, by SEACS member Tara Manser, who while living in Jakarta, together with a colleague, photographed and recorded all the pieces on exhibition at the time. A unique experience to view the collection built by one of the museum’s early contributors, collector d’Orsay.

Venue:

Imagination Room, Level 5
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

7pm, Wednesday, 7 March 2018

William Willetts Annual Lecture: “The Chinese Trade Network of the Southeast Asia Archipelago” by Professors Leonard Andaya and Barbara Watson Andaya

The Southeast Asian Ceramic Society’s annual William Willetts Lecture: The Chinese Trade Network of the Southeast Asia Archipelago. The first part of this presentation discussed ceramics as one of the key items in the Chinese trade networks of early modern Southeast Asia, giving particular attention to the little known region of eastern Indonesia. In considering Southeast Asia more generally, the second half focused on the diverse uses of ceramics, both imported and locally produced. It gave specific attention to the incorporation of ceramics into the daily lives of communities and individuals in very different contexts.

Venue:

Briefing Room, Level a
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

7pm, Monday, 22 February 2018

Learn from the Experts: Red Ceramics

SEACS members gathered to share their ‘red ceramics’, discovering the many shapes and kilns from which they had emerged and the new ‘homes’ they had found through trade and collection. This session was led by a SEACS member-expert together with other specialist collectors to help newcomers appreciate, identify, and understand ceramics featuring the colour red, whether as a metallic oxide or an underglaze, overglaze or enamel.

Venue:

To be announced.

Read more here.

2017

3-5pm, Sunday, 10 December 2017

SEACS Year-End Festive Open House

SEACS members gathered for their traditional seasonal get-together with fellow members.

Venue:

To be announced.

Read more here.

3pm, Monday, 20 November 2017

Countess Wilhelmina von Hallwyl and her Chinese Treasures

SEACS members were invited to a talk on the Swedish Countess Wilhelmina von Hallwyl and her Chinese Treasures by ceramics scholar Rose Kerr, who had newly catalogued the collection. The event was hosted by the Swedish Embassy and a reception followed.

Venue:

To be announced.

Read more here.

7pm, Monday, 23 October 2017

Dehua (blanc-de-Chine) Ceramics

Who better to talk on the wonderful ACM collection of Dehua (德化) ceramics left to the museum as a bequest from collectors Frank & Pamela Hickley than the former Director of the ACM who helped them build their collection?

Venue:

Visitors’ Briefing Room, Level 1
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

5pm, Saturday, 16 September 2017

Treasure Troves of the Past: Tomb and Grave Goods from Ancient China

SEACS members were invited to a talk on ceramic tomb and grave goods from ancient China by SEACS Council member Dr. Vidya Schalk.

Venue:

Visitors’ Briefing Room, Level 1
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

12:30pm, Wednesday, 30 August 2017

An Introduction to Tea and Ancient Tea Culture

SEACS members were invited to a talk on tea, teapots and tea culture by SEACS Council member and collector Allison Liu.

Venue:

SMU Administration Building
Function Room 4.1, Level 4
81 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 24 June 2017

Earth, Fire and Soul: The Spirit of Joseon Korea Through the Art of Clay

The Asian Civilisation Museum’s Curator of Chinese Art, Kan Shuyi, introduced the basic history and ideals of Korean ceramics before leading SEACS members on a private tour of the special ACM exhibition.

Venue:

Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore 179555

Read more here.

6 am, Sunday, 11 June 2017

A Visit to the Home and Collection of Marine Archaeologist Sten Sjóstrand

The Southeast Asian Ceramic Society arranged a special day visit to Kuala Lumpur to the home of Sten Sjøstrand to see ceramic artefacts from the ten different shipwrecks discovered and excavated by him. We left pre-dawn in a 2-car caravan and returned home long after sunset, laden with treasures and hours of hands-on experience. The story of his discovery and salvaging of the Wanli Shipwreck was published by Sten; now out-of-print, but you can read about it here.

Venue:

Depart from Singapore; visit to Kuala Lumpur

Read more here.

7pm, Tuesday, 16 May 2017

Handling Session: Learning from the Experts–Celadon and Blue & White Ceramics

Members brought in examples of celadon and blue & white ceramics from their collections before sitting down to learn more about how to differentiate between the different kiln sites’ productions, and dating, from our in-house experts and specialist collectors.

Venue:

To be announced

Read more here.

7:30pm, Wednesday, 5 April 2017

The William Willetts Annual Lecture: How Full is Our Bowl? with Professor John N. Miksic

The Southeast Asian Ceramic Society’s annual William Willetts Annual Lecture “How Full is our Bowl? – the status of research on ceramics in Southeast Asian archaeology” was given by Professor John N. Miksic from the Southeast Asian Studies Department, National University of Singapore. The conclusion: great progress but many more discoveries await us.

Venue:

Possibility Room, Level 5
National Library Building
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 25 March 2017

A Curatorial Tour of Myanmar Celadon Ceramics

SEACS members were invited to a curator-led tour of ceramics produced by Myanmar potters in the 15th century and the permanent ceramic collection at NUS Museum.

Venue:

NUS Museum
50 Kent Ridge Crescent
Singapore 119279

Read more here.

7-8:30pm, Wednesday, 15 February 2017

Vietnamese Ceramics from the Yi Lu Collection – Book Launch

SEACS members were invited to a book launch and introductory talk highlighting artefacts from the Yi Lu Collection of Vietnamese ceramics.

Venue:

Possibility Room,
National Library Building,
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

7-8:30pm, Wednesday, 8 February 2017

From The Ashes – Reviving Myanmar Celadon Ceramics

A talk by Dr. Myo Thant Tan, President of the Myanmar Ceramic Society.

Venue:

NUS Museum
50 Kent Ridge Crescent
Singapore 119279

Read more here.

7-8:30pm, Friday, 13 January 2017

“The Mon Cities and Myanmar Cultural Heritage” with Dr. Elizabeth Moore

A talk by Dr. Elizabeth Moore, a well-respected authority on Myanmar’s history and ceramic traditions.

Venue:

Asian Civilisations Museum
Ngee Ann Auditorium
Singapore 179555

Read more here.

7-8:30pm, Thursday, 12 January 2017

Year of the Rooster: Its Symbolism in Chinese Art

A talk by SEACS Councillor Patricia Bjaaland Welch, author of Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery, with special attention paid to the motifs of roosters, hens & chickens as they appear on Chinese ceramics.

Venue:

The Siam Society
131 Asoke Road, Sukhumvit 21
Bangkok, Thailand

Read more here.

2016

3-6pm, Saturday, 11 December 2016

SEACS Members’ Festive Year-End Get-Together

Cakes, tea sandwiches, perhaps a drop or two of wine, and lively conversations are always present when SEACS members get together. Our year-end party in 2016 followed tradition.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

Read more here.

7pm, Wednesday, 19 October 2016

How Shards Talk and What they can Tell Us

Ever wonder why archaeologists love a bucket full of broken pot shards? There’s arguably more research and cultural data available from an assemblage of fragmented shards than a prized set of complete pots. This talk by Dr. D. Kyle Latinis, a Visiting Fellow at the Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, and Director of the annual NSC Archaeological Field School, explains how archaeologists maximize data collection from shards.

Venue:

National Library
Visitor Briefing Room
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

2pm, Saturday, 24 September 2016

Guided Tour of Contemporary Ceramicist Iskandar Jalil’s Exhibition

SEACS members were invited to a special docent-led tour of Singapore artist Iskandar Jalil’s new exhibition at Singapore’s National Gallery. Kembara Tanah Liat (“Clay Travels”) had opened earlier the same month.

Venue:

National Gallery
1 St. Andrews Road
Singapore 178957

Read more here.

7pm, Friday, 26 August 2016

A Curator-led Tour of the ACM’s new Chinese Ceramics Gallery

SEACS members were invited to a special curator-led tour of the newly opened Chinese Ceramics Gallery in the Asian Civilisation Museum (ACM).

Venue:

Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore 179555

Read more here.

2pm, Saturday, 9 July 2016

The Secrets of Ceramics Unveiled

SEACS members we’re invited to join SEACS council member Dr. Vidya Schalk as she took her Singapore audience on a journey demystifying the world of clays, glazes, firing conditions, and all things that make porcelain so alluring.

Venue:

Imagine@LibraryOrchard
Orchard Road
Singapore

Read more here.

7pm, Friday, 27 May 2016

A Walk through the Peranakan Museum with Dr. Kenson Kwok

SEACS members enjoyed an informative, casual tour of the vast collections highlighted in the Peranakan Museum, given by Dr. Kenson Kwok, a long-term SEACS member and former president (1990-1993), and Founding Director of the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Venue:

The Peranakan Museum
29 Armenian Street
Singapore

Read more here.

7pm, Thursday, 28 April 2016

Blue & White Chinese Ceramics at Auction: The Enduring Popularity and Record Prices

SEACS members enjoyed an informative talk by an experienced member of the professional auction community (SEACS Council member Susie Quek) who shared her research findings of the record-reaching prices at recent auctions of B&W Chinese ceramics.

Venue:

National Library
Visitors Briefing Room, Level 1
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

7pm, Wednesday, 24 February 2016

A Collector’s Collections

SEACS members were invited to a private home to view a number of family special collections including ceramic and bamboo brush pots.

Venue:

To be advised.

2015

7pm, Friday, November 2015

A Visit to the new Tang Shipwreck Cargo Exhibition at the ACM

SEACS members attended the opening of the Belitung Wreck exhibition at the Asian Civilisations Museum, the shipwreck that has been dated to the Tang Dynasty, and which has amazed the collecting world with its cargo of Changsha, Xing & Ding wares, Yue celadon, Gongxian….

Venue:

Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore 179555

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 31 October 2015

A Ceramic Shards Handling Session at the NUS Museum

The best way to develop one’s ceramic expertise is to handle as many pieces of ceramics as possible, and there is no better way to learn than to be led by an expert. Dr. John N. Miksic shared his shards and expertise with SEACS members in this fascinating and valuable workshop at the NUS Museum.

Venue: Assemble at Lee Kong Chian Gallery (car park level)

NUS Museum
50 Kent Ridge Crescent
Singapore

Read more here.

7pm, Friday, 25 September 2015

Ceramics of the Sea: Four Shipwrecked Cargoes

In this lecture, Colin Sheaf, Chairman of Bonham’s Asia, explored the discoveries of four Chinese porcelain cargoes that sank in the South China Sea. Chinese ceramics had long been manufactured for export to foreign markets. Coveted as luxury goods, the Chinese ceramic export trade saw increased commerce between European nations and Islamic sultans during the sixteenth century. The discovery of sunken cargoes, provide unique insight into the ceramic production in and around Jingdezhen during this time. Changes in technology, ceramic production and design in China were discussed.

Venue:

Visitor’ Briefing Room, Level 1
National Library
100 Victoria Street
Singapore 188064

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 22 August 2015

A Visit to the newly renovated NUS Museum’s Sherd and Ceramics Collection

A visit to the new Ceramic Exhibition at the National University Singapore (NUS) Museum, which opened in January 2015. The collection features a display of ceramic production from Tang to Qing – featuring all five Song kilns and early Tang ware not seen in shipwreck finds. On the first level, there is an interesting collection of shards, especially those of Yuan blue and white. Such a collection of Yuan sherds is seldom seen even in China.

Venue:

NUS Museum
50 Kent Ridge Crescent
Singapore

Read more here.

7pm, Thursday, 23 July 2015

History of Pre-Colonial 11th Century Burma to Modern State of Myanmar with Professor Goh

Dr. Goh’s talk is based on her book published in January 2015: The Wheel-turner and His House: Kingship in a Buddhist Ecueme.

Venue:

To be confirmed

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 27 June 2015

An Appreciation of the Art of Chen Wen Hsi with Alison Liu

A look at one of Singapore’s favourite artists. Topics covered included the history and development of Chen Wen Hsi’s skills and styles from early period to late Analysis of his popular subjects such as gibbons, herons and squirrels, including a market analysis of why prices for his art had recently surged.

Venue:

To be confirmed

Read more here.

10:30am, Tuesday, 17 March 2015

A Special Walk Through the Archaeology Gallery Singapura: 700 Years with Professor John N. Miksic

A look at one of Singapore’s favourite artists. Topics covered included the history and development of Chen Wen Hsi’s skills and styles from early period to late Analysis of his popular subjects such as gibbons, herons and squirrels, including a market analysis of why prices for his art had recently surged.

Venue:

National Museum of Singapore Basement
National Museum of Singapore​
Stamford Rd, Singapore

Read more here.

7-8pm, Friday, 27 February 2015

A Tour of the “Land of Gold and Spices: Early Maps of Singapore and SE Asia”

This exhibition, which ran from February through July 16 2015, featured more than 140 maps including many from its own collection of more than 900 printed maps of Singapore and Southeast Asia, as well as selections on loan from the National Archives of Singapore and such institutions as the British Library and the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands). A special tour of this beautiful and very special exhibition was led for SEACS members by Tan Huism (Head, Exhibitions & Curation).

Venue:

Singapore National Library, Level 10
100 Victoria Streeft, Singapore

Read more here.

2014

10:15-4:00pm, 16 October 2014

Qing Porcelain in China and the World

A Study Day sponsored by SOAS. SEACS members warmly invited to attend.

Venue:

Brunei Gallery, SOAS
London, U.K.

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 4 October 2014

China Mania: The Global Passion for Porcelain (800-1900 CE)

A special guided tour for SEACS members led by docent members of SEACS. This was a special exhibition arranged by the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore–remembered as one of the best exhibitions ACM ever sponsored as it featured a fascinating and diverse array of export ceramics intended for markets ranging from Europe to Japan.

Venue:

Special Exhibitions Gallery, Level 2
Asian Civilisations Museum
Singapore

Read more here.

3pm, Saturday, 6 September 2014

Contemporary Chinese Literati

A talk on modern Chinese painting, porcelain, classical furniture and the objects that scholars cherish. As an active student of the auction market, Council member Allison Liu shared her observations and insights into what is being collected today, and what contemporary literati have around them while contemplating their lives.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

Read more here.

5-10 August 2014

A SEACS Study Trip to the Majapahit Empire with Professor John N. Miksic

A group of intrepid SEACS members spent five wondrous days touring the ancient sites of the Majapahit Empire with one of the foremost historians of the period. The trip included a pre-trip briefing held on Sunday evening, 20 July.

Venue:

Indonesia

7pm, Monday, 23 June 2014

From Majapahit to Bali: Genealogies of Indonesian Culture

This talk examined the nature and legacy of Majapahit, one of Southeast Asia’s greatest kingdoms, existing between 1293-1527. Beginning with some of the latest developments in the archaeology of Majapahit, Professor Vickers looked at the different ways that Majapahit remained important to Southeast Asian culture, particularly through the spread of the Panji stories (known as Inao in Thailand). He also discussed the legacy of Majapahit in Bali, and the ways that Balinese culture in turn helps us to understand Majapahit.

Venue:

Ngee Ann Auditorium
Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore

More here….

7pm, Monday, 12 May 2014

Opening the Microscopic World of Porcelain: Trace Model Research and Authentication of Yuan Underglaze Blue

This lecture by Matthew Bunney looked into the application of microscopic research within Chinese ceramics. Using 500x digital magnification, the research team at Guangzhou Oriental Museum has put forth a new scientific field of research that focuses on the quantitative change and passage of time principles that govern the weathering of ancient ceramics.

Venue:

Visitor’s Briefing Room, Level 1
Singapore National Library
100 Victoria Road
Singapore

More here….

7pm, Monday, 14 April 2014

Show, Ask & Discover

An open evening for members to bring in artefacts from their ceramic collections for mutual handling and discussion.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

2:30pm, Sunday, 6 April 2014

SEACS 45th AGM and annual William Willetts Lecture 2014

Dr. Kenson Kwok spoke on Peranakan material culture and questioned if it is really as unique as we think it is….

Venue:

The Peranakan Museum
Lecture Room behind the reception hall
39 Armenian Street
Singapore

More….

2013

7pm, 19 December 2013

Potsherds, Texts and Singapore’s Role in Southeast Asian Maritime Culture

Professor John N. Miksic introduces Singapore & The Silk Road of the Sea, sharing his findings of many years of research into Singapore’s history … and rewrites it, forever changing what we now know of Singapore’s history pre-Raffles.

Venue:

The Imagination Room
Singapore National Library
100 Victoria Street
Singapore

More….

7pm, Monday, 11 November 2013

Show, Ask & Discover: The Mystery of Changsha Ware

Members share their knowledge and stories as we examine Changsha ware.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

More….

7pm, Friday, 11 October 2013

A Guided Tour of ACM’s new special exhibition: “Devotion & Desire: Cross-Cultural Art in Asia”

Led by ACM curator Clement Onn.

Venue:

Asian Civilisations Museum

1 Empress Place

Singapore

7pm, Tuesday, 30 July 2013

Ports, Shipwrecks & Ceramics: A Maritime History of the Ancient Champa Kingdom

Our speaker, Do Truong Giang (Alex), provided an overview of the economic activities that once took place in (and beyond) the ancient territory of the Champa kingdom. He covered three major topics, all interrelated: the evidence of ancient mercantile ports, the recent shipwrecks found off the coast of Champa, and both Champa and foreign trade ceramics discovered in central Vietnam.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

More….

7pm, Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Show, Ask & Discover: Overglaze Ceramics

SEACS members gathered to share, show and discuss examples of overglaze ceramics from their collections.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

More….

7pm, Thursday, 23 May 2013

Ten Things to Know about Chinese Ceramics: A Beginner’s Primer

An introductory talk by SEACS Councillor Ingrid Hanson covering clay, glazes, kilns, and how to collect ceramics tips.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

More….

7pm, 12 April 2013

“Enlightened Ways: The Many Streams of Buddhist Art in Thailand”

Curator Heidi Tan leads SEACS members through the Asian Civilisation Museum’s latest exhibition.

Venue:

Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore

More….

9:30am, Saturday, 2 March 2013

Symposium: Nanyang Technological University Dragon Kilns Symposium & Exhibition

Nanyang Technological University’s University Scholars Program (NTU / USP) in collaboration with the NTU Museum presented a symposium and two exhibitions on the topic of the Dragon Kilns. These events were designed to serve as an exposure to the significance of this aspect of Singaporean history with particular focus on NTU’s neighbours, the Thow Kwang Clay Artists and the Jalan Bahar Clay Studios: Singapore’s last two remaining Dragon Kilns. SEACS members were welcome to join.

Venue:

NTU
Singapore

More….

7pm, Friday, 15 February 2013

Is it Real?

Fortunately, in our present day and age, we don’t always have to guess. New scientific techniques give an objective answer. These methods were applied to Chinese export Order of Cincinnati pieces and their secrets were revealed. Shirley M. Mueller’s talk revealed the findings and shared visual clues that can be used by collectors alongside precise technical findings

Venue:

To be confirmed

More….

7pm, Thursday, 17 January 2013

The Sir Percival David Foundation Collection

Two SEACS councillors introduced members to one of the finest collections of ceramics now housed in a special gallery in the British Museum, showing highlights of the collection.

Venue:

To be confirmed

More….

2012

7pm, Thursday, 6 December 2012

Ceramics in Myanmar: Unexplored Territory

Professor John N. Miksic and Professor Goh Geok Yian introduced the basics of Myanmarese ceramics but there remains much research to be done. To right: a Twante ceramic.

Venue:

To be confirmed

More….

7pm, Wednesday, 7 November 2012

Examining Kraak Porcelain

Maura Rinaldi, author of Kraak Porcelain, introduced the various shapes, forms, decorations and periods of this famous export ceramic.

Venue:

To be confirmed

More….

7pm, Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Chinoiserie: A Vision of the Far East from Europe, 13th-14th century

This talk by long-time collector Margaret White, traced the desire for chinoiserie through several revivals in succeeding centuries with examples from various countries. Throughout, ceramics remained in popular demand, both as export products and as wares being imitated and adapted by other countries. A summary of her talk is available by following the below ‘more’ link.

Venue:

To be confirmed

More….

7pm, Thursday, 27 September 2012

A Blaze of Colour: The Emergence of Overglaze Enamels on Porcelain in the 14th and 15th Centuries with Rosemary Scott

Overglaze enamels provide one of those interesting instances when a sophisticated technique appears to have been developed on popular stoneware and then transferred to fine porcelain. When this happened in the latter part of the Yuan dynasty, the palette of Chinese porcelain was changed forever.

Venue:

To be confirmed

More….

7pm, 24 August 2012

Show, Ask & Discover: A Members’ Pot Clinic

Members met to share pieces from their collection and their expertise.

Venue:

To be confirmed

7pm, Saturday, 9 June 2012

Canton Export Wares

A special lecture on Canton Export Wares by Prof. Feng Su Ge, Director of the Provincial Guangzhou Museum. The talk was given in Mandarin, with an English translation provided by Council Member Lim Yah Chiew. Click here to view the translation.

Venue:

To be confirmed

3pm, Sunday, 20 May 2012

Visit to Dorian Ball’s Diana Cargo

SEACS members were warmly welcomed by Dorian and Deidre Ball at their black and white colonial home to see Dorian’s collection and hear about his extensive salvaging experience in the region.

Venue:

To be confirmed

More here….

3pm, 9 May 2012

Guerilla Archaeologists and the Singapore Story

The talk started off with Professor John N. Miksic elucidating the reason for the talk’s curious title, alluding to aspects of archaeology, which share resonance with ‘guerrilla warfare’. A recap of this historic talk and the video may be seen here.

Venue:

To be confirmed

More here….

7-8:30pm, Friday, 17 February 2012

Pot-Making in Mainland Southeast Asia

Visiting Scholar Dr. Leedom Lefferts and Louise A. Cort of the Smithsonian Institute in a presentation that became core to the Smithsonian’s excellent introduction to the subject. The talk was repeated and filmed at NUS and the videos may be seen here. Visit the Smithsonian Institute’s website here.

Venue:

Ngee Ann Auditorium
Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore 179555

More here….

7pm, Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Longquan Celadon: Site visits and a museum opening

Several SEACS members attended the annual conference of the China Antique Ceramics Research Society based in the Beijing National Palace Museum in November 2011. During the conference, the Longquan Museum officially opened. Member Ingrid Hanson shares the various sites they visited and conference highlights.

Venue:

Ngee Ann Auditorium
Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore 179555

More here….

2011

7pm, Tuesday, 1 December 2011

Launch of SEACS’ e-museum (the forerunner of this site)

SEACS launched its e-museum in a grand event hosted by the National Library in their elegant venue ‘The Pod’–the society’s first step towards archiving and sharing the research and collections of its members and ceramic scholars to the general public. A tremendous amount of work went into developing the early contents of the site led by then-President Alvin Chia. Details of the opening event can be read here

7pm, Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Florentine Traders in Asia and the Medici Porcelain Collection

Maura Rinaldi, a linguist and specialist of Kraak ceramics, regaled SEACS members with her story of the Medici family and how they built their collection.

Venue:

To be confirmed.

More here.

16-23 October 2011

SEACS Study Tour to Taiwan & Hong Kong

Special access to a number of museums and private collections formed the itinerary of this very special trip to Taiwan and Hong Kong for SEACS members.

17 September – 29 October 2011

A Raku Workshop with Delia Prvacki

An 8-session raku workshop for SEACS members and NUS students was arranged by Delia Prvacki, oe of Singapore’s foremost ceramic artists. The opportunity to work with clay from start to end with a raku firing was a unique opportunity.

Venue: Hong Kong, Taipei

Read the workshop schedule here.

7:30pm, Thursday, 8 September 2011

Liu Kang and his Art

An intimate look at Liu Kang, Shanghai, Love, Loss, and the Founding of the Nanyang Style by Gretchen Liu.

Venue: to be confirmed

7:30pm, Thursday, 18 August 2011

Yuan Ceramics: Show, Tell, Ask & Discover Study Session for SEACS Members

An opportunity to share one’s collection and expertise with the emphasis on Yuan Dynasty ceramics.

Venue: to be confirmed

7pm, Thursday, 5 May 2011

Old Javanese Gold

Gold jewellery is usually assumed to be a decorative art rather than a source of historical information. In Java, an unusually large quantity of ancient gold has been recovered. Professor John Miksic informed members that some comes from prehistoric burials, but the largest quantity comes from hoards hidden during the 8th and 9th centuries in the Borobudur area.

Venue: to be confirmed

7pm, Thursday, 5 May 2011

Outing to see the Tang Treasures

SEACS members visited the newly revealed Tang Treasures from the Belitung wreck on display at the ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands.

Venue: to be confirmed

Song and Yuan Qingbai and their Influence on Vietnamese White Wares

A sharing session for members.

Venue: to be confirmed

2010

7pm, 11 August 2010

Discover the Ceramic Secrets of Famensi

A talk by SEACS Member Patricia Bjaaland Welch

Famen Temple (法门寺), located 120 km west of Xi’an, gained international fame in 1981 when the pagoda collapsed to reveal a Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) underground crypt that contained the largest and most complete underground religious vault ever found in China. The crypt also disclosed several pieces of the famous long-thought lost “secret porcelain” known as mise (秘色), revealing its famous glaze. Join us as member Patricia Bjaaland Welch, who recently visited Famensi, and guided the “Treasures of Famensi” when they were in Singapore on display at the Asian Civilisations Museum, shares with us the results of recent research and her April visit to the site. To download the flyer, click here.

Venue: to be confirmed

7pm, 18 May 2010

Five Dynasty Treasures: Chinese Ceramics found in the Indonesian Cirebon Shipwreck

A talk by SEACS Member Lim Yah Chiew

Venue: to be confirmed

6-14 April 2010

Study Tour: Fujian & Jiangxi, China

An excellently organized study tour to a large number of sites in Fujian and Jiangxi Provinces in China was led by Chen Jiazi, Curator of the National University of Singapore, and coordinated by SEACS Council Member Marjorie Chu. A report from this special SEACS study tour written by SEACS member and participant Linda McLaren can be found here.

Tours of this excellent exhibition, held in conjunction with the publication of SEACS’ 10th anniversary volume, Southeast Asian Ceramics: New Light on Old Pottery, edited by SEACS member and Professor John N. Miksic, were arranged on an appointment basis and led by SEACS member Tan Shook Fong and her talented docent trainees.

2009

SEACS arranged a morning visit to this excellent Bangkok-based ceramic museum; SEACS members travelled on their own to and from Bangkok, making the visit a special event in an otherwise private visit to Thailand.

Click here for the trip details.

7 pm, Tuesday, 30 June, 2009

Book Launch: New Light on Old Pottery

Professor John N. Miksic reviewed the advances made in the past 40 years of research and discoveries in the field of Southeast Asian ceramics.

Venue:

Celadon Room
Concourse Level, NUS Museum
University Cultural Centre Annex
50 Kent Ridge Crescent
National University of Singapore
Singapore 119279

7:30 pm, 27 March, 2009

William Willetts Lecture: Dating Evidence for 14th-19th Century Chinese Ceramic Finds in Singapore

Professor Peter Y. K. Lam explains how the recent ceramic finds in Singapore have helped us better understand Singapore’s history. Download the flyer here.

Venue:

Lecture Room, Peranakan Museum

Armenian Street, Singapore

7 pm, Thursday, 19 February, 2009

Many Words for Tea and One Very Special Bowl for Tea

One of our earliest introductions to the treasures of the Belitung shipwreck in a talk given SEACS members by Victor Mair, focusing on the large collection of Changsha bowls found on the wrecksite.

Venue:

The Ixora Room
The Peranakan Museum
39 Armenian Street
Singapore

Peter Wee hosted members of the Society at his beautiful home and paired examples from his textile and ceramic collections to propose that the one influenced the other more than we might have expected!

Venue:

To be confirmed

2008

Traditional Chinese thought, which believed all things should conform to groups of five, categorized animals into five classes: animals with feathers, animals with hair, animals with shells, animals with scales, and naked animals (which included man). In this presentation, Patricia Bjaaland Welch introduced us to the fascinating world of the first category: animals with feathers, as represented in Chinese art.

Venue:

The Ixora Room
The Peranakan Museum
39 Armenian Street
Singapore

In this talk, Dr. Anne Gerritsen, a Senior Research Fellow at ARI, compared two sites of ceramics manufacture: Jizhou and Jingdezhen. Both were located in Jiangxi and both hosted centers of ceramic production, but differences abounded too. Dr. Gerritsen explored both sites and explained how and why they developed so differently.

Venue:

The Ixora Room
The Peranakan Museum
39 Armenian Street
Singapore

Who is buried in Sultan Iskandar’s tomb? What did John Crawfurd see on the Forbidden Hill? What was this bowl with Chinese characters written on it for? Who made these beautiful pieces of glass? Professor John Miksic tells us that some discoveries are still puzzling archaeologists, more than 20 years after they were first brought to light. We heard all this and more in this 2008 annual William Willetts Lecture.

Venue:

The Ixora Room
The Peranakan Museum
39 Armenian Street
Singapore

The East Indiaman Götheborg was a large wooden sailing ship that sank off Göthenburg, Sweden, on 12 September 1745 while approaching its home harbour after returning from her third voyage to Canton, China. All 141 crew and passengers survived, but the ship was lost. Borje Forssell was Chairman of the Oriental Ceramic Society of Sweden at the time of this talk, and had been diving for wrecks in Southeast Asia for more than 20 years.

Venue:

The Discovery Room
Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore

A summary of his talk can be read here.

Talk by Jen Lyn Low, specialist in Chinese Snuff Bottles, London

An Invitation to Southeast Asian Ceramic Society members, hosted by Christie’s

Cocktails and canapés at 6.30pm
Lecture at 7.30pm by Jen Lyn Low
Christie’s Singapore, 501 Orchard Road, #19-03 Wheelock Place, Singapore
Limited seats only (first 20 members to sign up)

This talk introduced an important group of fragments of early high quality blue-and-white porcelain, including dishes measuring 50cm in diameter, that had been discovered in 2004 in the Red Sea. It put the finds into perspective regarding similar material found throughout the world and explored how this material added to our knowledge of Yuan blue-and-white and its dating. The talk was a follow-up from an earlier paper presented at the Mongol-Yuan Culture Foundation symposium at Peking University in August 2004.

Venue:

Ngee Ann Auditorium
Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore