Door County and Jingdezhen, China: Sister Cities

*Caption below

*2004 is the millennium celebration of the founding of the city of Jingdezhen, China as the world inventor and originator f modern porcelain production techniques. The artifact above is at least 300-400 years old. When the firing of pottery in a kiln produced less-than-perfect results, the ruined pots were cast aside into mounds. Over the centuries, the broken pottery and kiln shelves or wadding (material separating the layers of fired pottery) mixed with dirt and solidified into the kind of archeological object seen in the photo. Ellison Bay Pottery and Linden Gallery in Ellison Bay have devoted expansive gallery space to Jingdezhen ‘mini-museums,’ with examples of the area’s pottery, in celebration of the new sister city relationship between Jingdezhen and Door County.

Does it seem surprising that Door County and China have a lot in common? To a number of local potters, the answer is a definite “no.”

The traditions that all Door County potters follow in creating the beautifully functional and non-functional glazed pottery that many guests consider a high point of their Door County visit actually stretch back to, yes, China. How so? Well, about 1,000 years ago the residents of a city now called Jingdezhen literally invented the process by which porcelain is made, exactly the same process now employed at our local “potteries.”

All of which leads us to a recent bit of news: in late May, the Door County Board almost unanimously agreed (18-2) to pursue a cultural relationship – i.e. to be recognized and guided by Sister Cities International – with the world-renowned Chinese art center.

The foundation of this type of initiative is Sister Cities International’s belief that the individual relationships fostered through sister city alliances are effective in stimulating economic growth and learning, as well as having the potential to lessen the possibility of future world conflicts.

Coincidentally, Jingdezhen celebrates a millennium of regional, imperial and Communistera porcelain production this October. Door County, in its relative infant-hood as a recognized art center, probably has much to learn from the region that literally invented porcelain production, but the Chinese appear excited by the relationship, too. What is still unknown, proponents of the Sister City relationship agree, is exactly how the two regions will benefit, culturally and economically, from the new relationship.

In the meantime, the relationship is already beginning to bear fruit that will be of interest to visiting art-lovers. For instance, Diane McNeil and John Dietrich of Ellison Bay Pottery have dedicated an area in their gallery to artwork from Jingdezhen. Dietrich, a studio potter with 38 years of experience, explained why: “The connection of official ‘sister-hood’ between our young civilization and the ancient Chinese culture is a true honor. Their tradition has been so important to American potters in creating our own tradition. It’s exciting to imagine what American studio pottery will itself look like in one thousand years!”

2004 is the millennium celebration of the founding of the city of Jingdezhen, China as the world inventor and originator of modern porcelain production techniques. The artifact above is at least 300-400 years old. When the firing of pottery in a kiln produced less-than-perfect results, the ruined pots were cast aside into mounds. Over the centuries, the broken pottery and kiln shelves or wadding (material separating the layers of fired pottery) mixed with dirt and solidified into the kind of archeological object seen in the photo. Ellison Bay Pottery and Linden Gallery in Ellison Bay have devoted expansive gallery space to Jingdezhen ‘mini-museums,’ with examples of the area’s pottery, in celebration of the new sister city relationship between Jingdezhen and Door County.