Old porcelain shards from Jingdezhen have traditionally served as important archaeological evidence for studying ancient ceramic materials, techniques, and historical periods. In fact, we often see large collections of such shards displayed in museums around the world. Whenever I come to Jingdezhen, I habitually collect discarded, unfired ceramic fragments—offcuts and scraps—to test glazes and colors. From this practice, I was inspired to create a series of paintings based on broken porcelain pieces. Unlike the standard, symmetrical forms I used before, each shard now emerges as a unique shape shaped by chance. Especially in the aftermath of the three-year pandemic, the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine war, the rupture of societal values, and drastic economic shifts, I have come to deeply feel the expressive precision of this material and visual language. Fragile, sharp, yet enduring and impermanent—these porcelain fragments resonate with the psychological tension and anxiety I’ve experienced during these years. At the end of 2023, just after the pandemic restrictions were lifted, I rushed to Jingdezhen to paint a blue-and-white porcelain panel. The map-like shape of the composition is clearly related to China—and by extension, to each one of us. Much like the crowds I depicted in earlier works, the numb, collectivist condition of people during the pandemic seemed little changed from over a century ago. As Lu Xun once wrote, only when each “resident” or “people” transforms into a “citizen” can society truly move toward modern civilization. In today’s world—fractured by value conflicts and ongoing instability—this message feels especially urgent and worthy of reflection.

Learn more about Huang Min and her work here.

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The Future of Humanity Experience explores how technology is reshaping the human experience by blending digital and physical artworks from global artists into a tangible vision of the future. The experience highlights the potential for human enhancement, where the organic and synthetic not only complement one another but sometimes merge, illustrating how humanity can transcend its current boundaries.

Through diverse artistic perspectives, the show critically examines the risks, ethical dilemmas, and challenges posed by technological progress. This exploration is framed through three distinct lenses – Animasapiens, Transhumans, and Starborns – and offers an invitation to delve even deeper. Learn more here.