Dehua has a long history of ceramic production. As early as the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, the area’s ceramics were major exports on the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Today, the local ceramic industry is flourishing with many practitioners, such as the couple, exploring development of the old art form and passing down their skills from generation to generation.
Peng uses 3D porcelain sculptures to present the two-dimensional lines of characters, creating an effect similar to pictographs.
“Ancient oracle bone script was ‘characters’ that depicted ‘objects’, but I create ‘objects’ that resemble ‘characters’,” he says.
His series depicting zodiac signs and family surnames are collectors’ favorites.