The Southeast Asian Ceramic Society was founded in 1969 to widen appreciation and acquire knowledge of the ceramic art of China and countries adjacent to China, especially those of Southeast Asia. To pursue this aim, members meet for periodic discussions, to hear talks by both local and international experts, and to study and compare ‘pots’.
IN MEMORIAM: Margaret Wang
We are saddened to report the passing of one of our former Presidents (2002-2005), Margaret Wang, on 7 August 2020. Margaret was an exemplary member of the society for many years–intelligent, energetic, full of ideas and always ready to lend a hand. Her administrative talents were immense and she will always be remembered as one of our strongest presidents. While her health kept her away from activities the past few years, she always kept her interest in the society. She will be remembered fondly by those of us who were fortunate enough to get to know her.
Next Members' Only Event: Wednesday, 16 September 2020, 7-8:15 pm (Singapore time)
Members will receive an email with the invitation and ZOOM log-in one week prior to the event.
Welcome to a special talk by long-time SEACS member and educator Margaret White on Persian architectural tiles.
Margaret will focus on the development of the monumental architectural tiles in Iran (formerly Persia). She will examine 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.
For more information, click here.
Save the Dates - Upcoming Events
Saturday, 17 October 2020 – “Jingdezhen: As Seen through the Eyes of a Logistics Expert” with Tracey Yeh on ZOOM (3:00 pm Singapore Time)
Saturday, 7 November, 2020 – SEACS’ Annual Ceramics Sale
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO...
We organised our first exhibition at the University of Singapore Art Museum in 1971. This landmark exhibition consisted of 350 examples of Khmer, Annamese and early Thai ceramics, drawn largely from the university collection, curated by Mr William Willetts, who was the museum’s curator at the time. A substantial number of pieces also came from the collections of our first president, Mrs. Helen Ling, and other early members including Don Sinclair, Dr. & Mrs. Earl Lu, K. T. Goh, S. R. Parker, Professor & Mrs. K. J. Ratnam, and others.
The historian John Guy has noted that this “presentation of the then little known ceramic tradition of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam caused a stir amongst the oriental ceramic cognoscenti.” Furthermore, that “the Willetts pioneering Catalogue for the Society inspired a generation of younger scholars and stimulated the interest of government archaeological departments throughout Southeast Asia.” As a consequence, ceramic societies were to emerge in ensuing years in West Malaysia, Jakarta, Manila and Hong Kong, following the lead of the Singapore chapter.
The Society holds an annual William Willetts Lecture, held immediately after the Society’s Annual General Meeting. Click here for a list of our distinguished William Willetts lecturers since its inauguration in 1999.
The Society reinforces its online presence through the digitisation of some of its publications. You will find them on our publication pages.
In 2019, the Society celebrated its 50th anniversary, the same year Singapore commemorated its bicentennial. Join us as we enter our sixth decade. Members needn’t be collectors, just interested in the various roles ceramics play in history, trade and culture. We are open to all from beginners to academics to specialized collectors.
You can connect with us on Facebook, where our activities, many open to the public, are updated on a regular basis.