DM Monitoring
NANCHANG: In China’s porcelain capital, Jingdezhen City of east China’s Jiangxi Province, many residents and taxi drivers are acquainted with Turkish ceramics artist Ekrem Yazici, who has lived in the city for over 10 years.
Having witnessed the tremendous changes that have taken place in Jingdezhen over the last decade, Ekrem now enjoys his fruitful life in the city.
Ten years on, Ekrem has obtained a master’s degree in ceramics design from the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, as well as precious experience in traditional ceramics workshops and friendships with craftspeople.
“I have almost taken every taxi and visited every corner of the city,” said Ekrem, who described his life in Jingdezhen as perfect.
He recalled his first trip to Jingdezhen in 2009. There was only one flight linking Jingdezhen with Shanghai and he could only travel by car, which was difficult for a foreigner at the time. “Now by high speed railway, I can travel wherever I want, which is really impressive,” said Ekrem. Ekrem’s first trip to Jingdezhen lasted six days — long enough for him to visit traditional workshops and modern universities. He made the decision to stay.
“Some people walked with porcelain, while others carried porcelain wares on their shoulders,” he said. “This place was like a heaven for ceramics lovers.”
In 2010, Ekrem moved to Jingdezhen, rented a house and a studio, and began his postgraduate studies.
“Even though you live in the capital of porcelain, it does not mean porcelain can claim 99 percent of your life,” he said. “You cannot eat porcelain.”
He said he always wants to eat something different and go out to have fun on weekends, or drink a little to relax himself, which was beyond his imagination years ago. “Once, I could only drink baijiu (a Chinese liquor) in a friend’s studio. Now I can drink coffee and wine, eat pizza and find anything I want and need here,” said Ekrem.
Over the past 10 years, the city has undergone changes that have made it a totally different place — larger and much cleaner, he added. More restaurants, playgrounds and cinemas have emerged in the city, entertaining residents and visitors, he said.
