Abbas Akbari is an award winning Iranian ceramicist and sculptor, based at the University of Kashan, and a member of the International Academy of Ceramics. He has been able to revive ancient and medieval lustre techniques by consulting historical Persian literature and artefacts.
Articles
Abu Zayd, Master Potter and Poet of Kashan by Farida Ali
The inhabitants of Kashan a town in Northwestern Iran have long produced pottery for thousands of years. Its fine clays and elaborate system of underground water channels (qanat) made the region an ideal setting for this craft. Further, Kashan and its surrounding areas are blessed with the deposits of silica, bentonite and even kaolin that… Continue reading Abu Zayd, Master Potter and Poet of Kashan by Farida Ali
The World According to Colour. A Cultural History by James Fox
The World According to Colour. A Cultural History by James Fox Imagine my delight upon reading the opening to World According to Colour, only to discover the Haft Paykar, a famous medieval romantic poem – considered one of the great classics of Persian literature; ‘One day, a young Persian prince was wandering through his palace… Continue reading The World According to Colour. A Cultural History by James Fox
Confucius Courtyard Architecture, Philosophy and the Good Life in China by Xing Ruan Book Review
In the book, the author embarks on a bold attempt to convey an understanding of Chinese civilization via courtyard architecture. He explains that whilst courtyard architecture disappeared during the classical phase in Europe, Beijing and other Chinese cities continued building courtyard houses as late as the 1950s. This continuum provided the author the impetus for the book. He takes the reader on a journey as he strives to understand the persistence and longevity of this architectural model in China.
Emperor Qianlong’s fascination with ‘Hindustan’ Jades
No other civilisation has enjoyed as long, continuous and intimate a history with jade as have the Chinese. Jade carvings survive both as objects of art and reliqueries and reflect the spiritual life of the Chinese civilisation. Emperor Qianlong Perhaps the greatest Imperial collector in China’s long history was the Emperor Qianlong (r.1736-95). Amongst other… Continue reading Emperor Qianlong’s fascination with ‘Hindustan’ Jades
Meissen Porcelain and ‘Indian’ Stylistic Influences
It was Marco Polo’s tales of his years spent in the Middle Kingdom that captured Europe’s imagination with amongst many things, Chinese porcelain. A small jar, now in St Mark’s Bascilica in Venice is believed to have been bought back by Polo in 1295 and is thus the first known Chinese porcelain to have reached… Continue reading Meissen Porcelain and ‘Indian’ Stylistic Influences
Ivory and Jade: Opulent hilts in the Oriental Armouries, Wallace Collection
The following article is based on a gallery lecture I gave at the Wallace Collection, London in November 2019, a unique collection of over 5500 exhibits housed at Hertford House, Manchester Square, London. Here, I attempt to follow the history and significance of jade as a hardstone material for Ottoman, Mughal Indian and Chinese hilts… Continue reading Ivory and Jade: Opulent hilts in the Oriental Armouries, Wallace Collection
Of Space, Time and feeling: Waqas Khan Exhibits in Manchester, UK
Waqas Khan Gifted, enigmatic, inspired – Pakistani artist Waqas Khan’s unique abstract geometric drawings form part of important museum and private collections across the globe. His latest work is on display at the Manchester Gallery as part of a collaboration with artists in the UK, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to mark the 70th anniversary of… Continue reading Of Space, Time and feeling: Waqas Khan Exhibits in Manchester, UK
Phulkari textiles at the Philadelphia Museum
The first major American exhibition of Punjabi Phulkari textiles has opened at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Phulkari: The Embroidered Textiles of Punjab from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection. The exhibition showcases nineteen embroideries donated by Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz to the museum, together with Phulkaris from the museum’s own South Asian collection. These… Continue reading Phulkari textiles at the Philadelphia Museum
Ceramic Arts of the Islamic World
Islamic potters working as early as the ninth century in the heartlands of Arabia, discovered innovations in design and production of ceramics that centuries later were adopted by their Chinese and European counterparts. It was Islamic potters that created the ‘blue-on-white’ aesthetic that came to have a long lasting influence on the production of Chinese export… Continue reading Ceramic Arts of the Islamic World