ATHENS, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition of more than 100 porcelain artworks from east China's Jingdezhen opened here on Friday.
Entitled "Porcelain Journey along Silk Road - On Site Performance of the Traditional Porcelain Shaping Technique", the exhibition at Zappeion exhibition hall is hosted by the State Council Information Office of China. It includes antiques dating back to four centuries ago, as well as contemporary works by Chinese artisans.
Six inheritors of this intangible cultural heritage demonstrated to visitors the process of porcelain molding and decoration, showcasing the techniques of molding, trimming, water mixing, flowers engraving, color painting and sculpturing, which left Greek officials and art lovers in awe.
Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital, boasts more than 2,000 years of pottery history, 1,000 years of official kiln history and 600 years of imperial kiln history, said Wu Juan, an official from Jingdezhen city at the opening ceremony.
Jingdezhen's porcelain artworks were spread out all over the world through the ancient Silk Road. In the 18th century, Wu explained, local artisans produced works with decorative themes deriving from Greek and Roman mythology and today Greek pottery artists are among thousands of foreigners living in the city creating their artwork.
Nikolaos Makropoulos, deputy mayor of Athens, stressed that both Greeks and Chinese treasure arts and culture and are bonded by a long-standing friendship which should further flourish through wider and deepening cooperation.
Spyros Fanariotes, an expert in cultural management, felt the event very interesting. "It seems that we Greeks have much to draw inspiration from and we should develop closer cooperation in the future."
Eleni Kresteniti, a translator, said: "I admire so much the time and effort spent and the entire style the Chinese artists have when it comes to porcelain."
The exhibition will run until Dec. 25.
