Looking across the history of craft, each moment of advancement begins with research, observation, and experimentation. Ceramics follows the same trajectory.
At Bát Tràng Museum Atelier (BTMA), ceramics are approached as a living medium, shaped through ongoing investigations into surface and structure. This process begins with the signature multi-layered glazing technique developed by the late People’s Artisan Vũ Đức Thắng, founder of the atelier.
Layered Glazing Techniques
This glazing method evolves from the transformative nature of glazes under high-temperature firing. Unlike mixing pigments on a painter’s palette, the process requires artisans to apply multiple glaze layers onto unfired forms entirely through intuition and experience. Before entering the kiln, these layers exist only in neutral tones. Their final appearance depends on the precise calibration of glaze thickness, firing temperature, and placement within a kiln reaching approximately 1300°C. The unpredictable interaction of fire across layered glazes, combined with relief and incised techniques, produces surfaces that read like richly modulated compositions—distinct from any conventional glazing approach.
Forms Shaped by Culture and Everyday Life
Beyond glaze, ceramics at BTMA extend into explorations of form. While traditional ceramics are often associated with symmetrical, rounded structures, the atelier introduces elements drawn from culture and everyday life into new sculptural expressions. Works such as the Dragon monobloc (bia hơi) from the Dragon of the Urbanities collection, or the Vietnamese Turban from the An Nam collection, reflect this direction. These approaches also present technical challenges, particularly in maintaining structural integrity after firing. With asymmetrical forms, the task goes beyond shrinkage calculations; it requires sustained experimentation to preserve form under heat and gravity. In many cases, a kiln firing may be dedicated to only a few works—or even a single piece—rather than maximizing capacity. Each finished object therefore embodies not only aesthetic value but also an accumulation of material knowledge and craft expertise.
A Dialogue Between Materials
Today, ceramics are increasingly placed in dialogue with other materials, forming part of a broader mixed-media practice. At BTMA, this can be seen in works such as the Ballerina Table Lamp (ceramic and embroidered velvet), the TOGAN Lamp (ceramic and composite), as well as the Vietnamese Halter Top and Rice Grain Vase from the An Nam collection (ceramic and bronze). Within a single object, the solidity of ceramic may coexist with the precision of metal and the softness of textile. This interplay creates layered visual effects, allowing each material to retain its character while contributing to a cohesive spatial composition.
Rooted in cultural narratives, BTMA’s collections are realized through continuous experimentation in glaze, form, structure, and material integration. The result is a body of work that is functional yet refined, aligned with a contemporary reading of heritage.
