Banana Leaf Gaiwan

Banana leaves have been a decorative emblem since the archaic Shang Dynasty, and Li Siqi has echoed that symbol in a most impressive way: large fronds in relief have been delicately and precisely carved into the gaiwan's lid and body in respectively four- and five-fold symmetry, even including petioles and millimeter-thin veins. The appearance is then heightened by application of a slightly golden glaze, gathering at edges to give a greater depth and lending the surface a silky smooth texture. But the piece most comes alive under a beam of bright light, when the design can be seen in luminous inverse. A triumph of modern porcelain artistry.

About the artist

Li Siqi is an emerging Jingdezhen potter. After graduating from the Fine Arts Department of Jiangxi Normal University, she spent half a year practicing ceramics at kilns in the southwest of China with a focus on sculpture and pottery. She fell in love with celadon and the Hutian kiln* (湖田窑), a famous kiln of the Song Dynasty, and has devoted herself to exploring the history of the craft.
In 2018, she established Qiwei (lit. ‘seven flavors’) Ceramics Studio in Jingdezhen, the capital of porcelain. It continues to inherit from the classic kilns, combining Song Dynasty gracefulness (Song Yun (宋韵), lit. ‘Song rhyme’) with modern lifestyles to create teaware with a historical touch for elegant yet practical chaxi.

*Hutian kiln is located is located in the Hutian Village, a suburb of Jingdezhen. The Hutian porcelain wares of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) were mainly decorated with fine patterns and made into beautiful shapes.