Made in China

Tradition

China has an impressive history of craftsmanship: from exquisite porcelain and lustrous silk to lacquerware, jade and glass. Over the centuries, these materials have been worked with great precision and skill by craftspeople, artists and designers.

Made in China

In ‘Made in China’, you’ll discover key moments and highlights from this history. For example, there is a 4,500-year-old storage jar on display – a tangible symbol of the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture. And through interactive maps, you can see how trade routes such as the Silk Roads developed into today’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Craftsmanship

The exhibition does not focus solely on the past. It also centres on the way in which contemporary craftspeople engage with tradition, identity and change. Through their work, artists and designers such as Cao Fei, Susan Fang, Yang Yongliang, Jing He, Chen Hangfeng, Ma Ke and Feng Chen Wang demonstrate how Chinese craftsmanship continues to reinvent itself.

Fashion

Think of an innovative suit labelled ‘Made in China’ by Feng Chen Wang and a sustainable dress by Susan Fang. The award-winning game Black Myth: Wukong is also featured in the exhibition, alongside work by the Chinese-Amsterdam-based artist Ting Gong. You’ll see surprising fashion, experimental jewellery, sustainable designs, contemporary porcelain, glass and photography that make you reflect on what ‘Made in China’ means today.