Where earth, fire and creativity converge

Earth, fire and creativity are the three elements that form the soul of ceramic art. The 2026 Ceramic Exchange and Exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City created a meeting place for ceramic art lovers nationwide.

Ceramic works by Dong Nai artists and artisans are being exhibited, introduced, and promoted in Thu Duc Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

At the exhibition, artists and artisans from Dong Nai have presented numerous works bearing the distinctive imprint of Bien Hoa ceramics, helping affirm the vitality of this traditional ceramic line in contemporary fine arts.

Bringing Bien Hoa ceramics closer to the public

More than 150 ceramic works by 75 authors from various localities are on display at the exhibition space at 1 Einstein Street, Thu Duc Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, creating a special gathering for ceramic art lovers. The event is not merely an exhibition of works but also a forum for artists, lecturers, artisans, and practitioners to share their passion for creativity, material processing techniques, and trends in the development of Vietnamese ceramic art.

Dong Nai made its mark at the exhibition with a large contingent of participants, ranging from lecturers and artisans to students and alumni of the Dong Nai College of Decorative Arts. Hoang Ngoc Hien, Nguyen Quang Hoang, Hoang Minh Hai, Nguyen Thi Dung, and Nguyen Cuong were among those who introduced numerous works in diverse styles, featuring highly expressive forms and an unceasing spirit of creativity.

Participating in a large-scale exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time, Hoang Minh Hai, a lecturer at the Faculty of Ceramics and Sculpture at the Dong Nai College of Decorative Arts, selected five works from his "Vi yeu” (Because of Love) collection for display. He created the works between 2024 and 2026, including one that won the annual Dong Nai Literature and Arts Awards.

Sharing his creative journey, Hai said, "Each work in the exhibition was 'conceived' over a long period, from finding ideas and making preliminary sketches to testing glazes and controlling firing temperatures. I hope that through this exhibition, viewers will not only experience the artworks firsthand but also feel the love for ceramic materials and the culture of the Dong Nai region embodied in each piece."

For artist Nguyen Quang Hoang, a member of the Fine Arts Department of the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association, bringing Bien Hoa ceramic works to the exchange offers Dong Nai artists an opportunity to learn more about new creative methods while introducing and promoting the distinctive values of this traditional ceramic art to local residents as well as domestic and international visitors.

"Ho Chi Minh City has a rich and diverse arts scene. It has a favorable geographical location for visiting and admiring works, and if visitors wish, the works in the exhibition are available for purchase. This increases income for the authors and brings the works closer to the public near and far," said Hoang.

After the 2026 Ceramic Exchange and Exhibition in Thu Duc Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, the ceramic works will continue to be exhibited at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum. In September 2026, the ceramic works in the exhibition will be displayed and introduced at the Dong Nai College of Decorative Arts in Tran Bien Ward.

When earth, water and fire tell the story of contemporary art

According to the organizing committee of the 2026 ceramic exhibition, each work presented at the exhibition is the result of a process of studying shapes, testing materials, and controlling firing techniques. Unlike traditional painting or sculpture, ceramic art always contains an element of uncertainty. Artists can control only the shaping process, while fire determines the final appearance of the work. It is precisely this randomness that creates the identity of ceramic art, where every variation in glaze, shade, surface, and texture becomes part of an expressive language.

Artisan Hoang Ngoc Hien of the Fine Arts Department of the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association has been associated with Bien Hoa ceramics for many years, has participated in regional and national exhibitions, and has won numerous major awards. According to Hien, Bien Hoa ceramics are renowned for their harmonious combination of tradition and creativity. The outstanding characteristics of this ceramic art include the techniques of incised carving and multicolor glazing, together with the combination of decoration and painting. Many ceramic products created by the skillful hands of artists have become works of art bearing a contemporary spirit.

"Ceramic artists today still use earth, water, fire, glazes, and the characteristic techniques of our forefathers, but the way they tell stories has changed. Each work, through the creativity of the artist, reflects thoughts, emotions, and new perspectives on life," said Hien.

For the public, the exhibition offers an opportunity to discover the beauty of ceramic art from a closer perspective. Behind each work are shaping techniques, glaze treatment, and many months of testing, adjusting, and waiting for results after each firing. Earth, water and fire, therefore, do not merely create a product but become a medium through which artists convey emotions, aesthetic concepts, and stories of contemporary life in each piece.

The presence of Dong Nai artists at the exhibition not only contributes to promoting the Bien Hoa ceramics brand but also affirms the vitality of a ceramic tradition that continues to innovate while building on its heritage. The gathering of ceramic art lovers is providing and will continue to provide motivation for Vietnamese ceramic art, including Bien Hoa ceramics, to develop, affirm its position, and spread its cultural values through the language of artistic creativity.

By Cam Thanh – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho