Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition 1 — Wang Zhiwen’s Ceramic Micro-books
Wang Zhiwen, born in 1962, is a Chinese master of arts and crafts, a national-level representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, and a researcher at the Ceramic Culture Institute of Jingdezhen Ceramic University. Wang Zhiwen’s ceramic micro-books are recognized as a national-level intangible cultural heritage project. The artist creates these works solely with the naked eye, requiring viewers to use magnifying devices to clearly see the characters.
Wang Zhiwen’s ceramic micro-books, recognized as a national-level intangible cultural heritage project, include the acclaimed « Three Kingdoms, » which has achieved the « Guinness World Record. » His works are housed in various art museums and institutions both in China and abroad, including the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the National Art Museum of China, the China Arts and Crafts Museum, the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the Ziguang Pavilion of the State Council in Zhongnanhai, the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Unitd Nations Headquarters, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in the United States, the Museum of Cycladic Art in Greece, the Sayyaf Museum in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Chinese Embassy in the Czech Republic, the Consulate General of China in Auckland, New Zealand, the Consulate General of China in Toronto, Canada, the Seoul Metropolitan Government in South Korea, and the Thai Tamarind Foundation, among others.
On July 3, 2023, the « Wang Zhiwen Ceramic Micro-book Appreciation Event » was held at the exhibition hall of the Royal Artists Association in Barcelona, Spain. The event was organized by the Wang Zhiwen Ceramic Micro-book Art Museum of Shantou City, China, hosted by the Royal Artists Association of Spain (Reial Cercle Artístic), and co-organized by the Sino-European Association of Educational & Cultural Exchange (SEAECE). Master Wang Zhiwen demonstrated the creation of ceramic micro-books on-site.
The Deputy Consul General Mr. Hu Aimin and Vice Consul Ms. Liang Juan from the Chinese Consulate General in Barcelona, Ms. Montserrat Simal Vazquez, General Manager and Co-founder of Palau Martorell, Barcelona Exhibition Arts Center, Secretary-General of the Barcelona World Peace Forum, Mr. Joan Abelló Juanpere, Director of International Relations and Protocol Department at the Royal Artists of Barcelona, Mr. Luis Gómez, Honorary Academician of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona, Mr. Sergi Vicente, Director of Barcelona TV, along with several well-known Spanish artists, collectors, overseas Chinese leaders, and business figures gathered to appreciate and share the ceramic micro-artworks of Wang Zhiwen, a master of Chinese arts and crafts and a representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage.
Master Wang Zhiwen also added his signature to the member book of the Royal Artists Association, which bears the signatures of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and several renowned Spanish artists. This member book has a history of over 120 years, and famous painters like Picasso have also signed it. It is a precious historical artifact, showcasing signatures and messages from three of Spain’s most famous painters—Picasso, Dalí, and Miró.
