RE-COLLECTIONS OF AN OLD POTTER: Part One

The Hongkong Bark of Canada has
recently purchased a major
assemblage of Asian Ceramics. A
Potter's Choice, (he Jean Macicaly Fohrni
Collection (s unique in Canada for the
diversity of its origins, and for its
purpose as a teaching tool, Consisting
of close to 600 pleces, # wes carefully
assembled aver a period of tawerifiyj-orue
years. The geographic range includes
examples of Persian, Khmer, Thai,
Vietnamese, Philippine, Japanese amd
Chinese wares, the majority being
Chinese. Chranolagically, the rarage is
Jrom the 2nd Milentum B.C. fo A.D,

igth Century.

Through a loan agreement with the
Vancouver Museum's new Asian

Studies Department under drs, Paula
Swot, the wares will continue to be
made ainiieble to scholars and
collectors for research. Beginning
September 24, orAsian Gallery ull be
open to the public at the Vancouver
Museum. Jean Fahri will continue to
be aeseciated with the collection.

Objects from this collection have been
included in some important exhibitions
such as “The Talking Jars” [1971];

| “Within the Potter's House" (1976!, bath
held in the Vancouver Museum, ancl
‘Ceramics of Mainland Seuthenst
Asia®, organized by Barny TH at the Art
Gallery of Greater Victoria in ]958.
Cateloques of those exhibitions one
still available.

‘June of 19688 was epent in Vancouver
lmimersed in an unusual workshop led
by the potter Harry Davia cf New Zealand.
in company with such ceramic notables
as Tam Irving and Don Hutchinson, a
doen of us gathered local clays, washed
ashes, crushed rocks, and produced
from the fruits of our labours a wild
assortment of bodies and glazes. Most
were ghastly; a few held promise; and
others have evolved into the fine ollspot
tenmokus, ctladons and whitewares now
60 familiar in British Columbia, The
experience left us all with a healthy
reapect for early potters, who, using
purely empirical means, progressed over
several millenia from the production of
simple earthenware to the fine porcelains
of Imperial China.

September. 1990

- Hand-pinched Ewer, joined at base,

waist and mack. S.F. Asia, lath Century

The course over, [rushed outand bought
a new Shimpo wheel. a Coast Ceramic
kiln, and a ten of Westweed porcelain
from California; then settled happlly to
a summer of creativity. Sone days later
my husband announced that he had
been chosen to initiate a C_A.R-E, Med-
ico program for training orthopedic
surgeons in Indonesia, and had offered
my services as surgical nurse, The
summer was spent in the V.G.H. operat-
ing theatre relearming a nearly forgotten
profession! Subsequent months were to
me both fearsome and fascinating.

Indonesia was al the time just recover-
ing from a massive purge of commu
nists, Inlowing their War of Indepenct-
ence from the Dratch, and years of severe
shortage of supplies. | made a pact with
the charming director of the hospital
that [ would instruct his nurses and
scrub fer all of our surgery. if he would
provide me with car and driver and a List
of local crafiemen. should anything in-
terrupt our operating achedule.

To my delight [ was rewarded with three
days of touring craft villages in central
and western Java, some of which spe-
clalized in the making of hand written
batik sarongs, or hain soqa, using tradi-
onal indigo and brown dyes, Others
produced coll built earthenware cook-
ing vessels, water jars, and hibachts for
melting bathk wax. Large bisqued jars
were transported either tied to paniers

By Jean Fahmi

en ellher side of a bicycle, or trotted
about dangling casually from both ends
of bamboo poles slung over a shoulder!
Village markets, surprisingly. offered a
puzzling array of glazed porcelains.

Following dinner one evening alt the
home of the American Embassy doctor,
ome of the porcelain ‘bicycle boys' was
invited in te display his wares. On the
livingroom floor he carefully unwrapped
a large batiked cotton square lo reveal a
dozen or sosmall plates with underglaze
cobalt designs, some small vases. a
variety of smal) porcelain boxes, and
several large celadon dishes. | acquired
that evening my first pieces of Chinese
trade porcelain—a hand bullt ewer with
a drippy brown glaze for orchids, and a
square green-glazed Ming box to hold
the safety pins from my uniform!

The return through Hong Kong was
memorable for several reasons: the hours
spent with the energetic and very knowi-
edgrable ry (now Lady) Fung: being
intreduced by her to the magnificent
Fung Ping Shang collection of Chinese
porcelains, to the now renowned cura-
tor James Watt; and to the Orlental
Ceramic Society of Hong Kong, af which
fam still a member. [ resolved to learn
more of the history of Asian ceramics; In
Vaneouver | metwith Dr. C. Chan Gunn,
joined the Canadian Soctety for Asian
Arts, and embarked on a study program
which continues.”

Look in Gotober for
Recollections: Port Two

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