Wereldmuseum Rotterdam explores the past and present of China’s culture of making

This press release is also available in Chinese.

The production of and global demand for objects made in China has a long history. Made in China at the Wereldmuseum displays a wide range of renowned Chinese making traditions, techniques, and materials, such as porcelain, lacquerware, and painting. The contemporary Chinese makers in the exhibition use their personal stories and work to show how they reflect on the world around them or seek to change it. The exhibition also highlights the art of copying, for which China is well known, by placing it in a broader historical context. Furthermore, it examines the development of mass production, which began in China over 3,000 years ago. Thus, the museum explores the past and present of China’s ancient  culture of making from different perspectives.

“The art of making is inseparable from being human,” says Wayne Modest, Content Director of the Wereldmuseum. “People everywhere give shape, content, and meaning to their lives and the world around them in various ways through their creativity and ways of living together. Made in China showcases our collection as a testament to this fact and offers contemporary perspectives on the art of making.”

The label ‘Made in China’ is the most common label in the world. Chinese products, such as silk and porcelain, have been traded for thousands of years. This label comes with a long history and a multifaceted tradition of craftsmanship. Using a timeline, images, objects, and artefacts, Made in China illustrates the key events and turning points that have influenced the Chinese  culture of making. For instance, a painted earthenware storage jar from 4,500 years ago marks the transition from a hunter-gatherer culture to sedentary agriculture. On interactive maps, visitors can see past and present trade networks, from the ancient Silk Roads to the current Belt and Road Initiative. Objects found in Europe, Asia, and Africa and produced in China tell the story of supply and demand.

The history of Chinese craftsmanship boasts a rich tradition of artisans, artists, and makers who work with materials such as lacquer, silk, porcelain, jade, and glass with patience and unique techniques. For a long time, some of these materials were mainly – or even exclusively – available in China, resulting in centres of expertise, such as the porcelain city of Jingdezhen, which lies close to the mountains where porcelain clay is found. Made in China gives a comprehensive overview of these specific materials and techniques, and of the ancient artisanal and artistic disciplines such as calligraphy, ink painting, bamboo work, textile art, and paper cutting. These cultural traditions are cherished and respected, but there is also room for innovation and interpretation by contemporary makers in China. The exhibition thus combines historical masterpieces with works by contemporary makers such as Shelly Xue Lü, who transforms the relationship between paper and ink into sculptures of liquid glass.

Contemporary Chinese makers respond to the changing world and Chinese cultural traditions in their work. The artists, designers, and artisans in the exhibition show how they respond to societal developments through their work. For instance, the fashion designer Ma Ke reacts to fast fashion by designing sustainable clothing using traditional materials and techniques that have fallen into oblivion. The makers of Yidesign have developed a method to reuse ceramic waste, of which China produces 18 million tons annually. Chan Po-fung creates beautiful new jewellery from broken jade bracelets, with the flaws becoming a cherished part of the design. At the museum’s invitation, Jing He and the Tulip Pyramid collective are creating new work exploring themes such as identity and craft. The exhibition also shows work by fashion designers Susan Fang and Feng Chen Wang, homewear design by Jia Inc., porcelain by Dong Quanbin, photographic art by Yang Yongliang, and a shard dress by Li Xiaofeng.

The Industrial Revolution (circa 1760 - 1840) is often seen as the starting point of mass production. In China, however, mass production began thousands of years earlier. As early as the third century BC, standardised assembly lines were established, allowing for the efficient production of large quantities of variations through modular design. One of the best-known examples is the terracotta army of the First Emperor of China (circa 200 BC), consisting of thousands of soldiers. The exhibition features life-size reconstructions made with the original materials, techniques, and colours. The character script of the Chinese language is another example of modular design, allowing for tens of thousands of variations. Visitors can experience this themselves in an interactive installation.

However, the history of mass production is not without its shadows. It is also a story of resource depletion, environmental pollution, and human exploitation. The exhibition prompts reflection on who bears the cost of cheap production and its impact on people and the planet. Lu Guang’s photography exposes environmental pollution in rural and industrial areas in China, while Cao Fei’s video artwork Whose Utopia poignantly highlights the human toil behind one of the largest lightbulb manufacturers. Poetry by migrant workers speaks of harsh working conditions, and a new work by Chen Hangfeng recounts the story of the village where most of the world’s Christmas decorations are now made.

Made in China explores the concepts of imitation and copying through the Chinese lens that traditionally does not distinguish between original and copy nor attaches a value judgment to either. An ancient tradition of antiquarianism exists where objects are replicated – not as forgeries, but as tributes to the master makers of the past and their culture. In Buddhism, making copies is a way to accumulate merit and improve one’s karma. The development of duplication techniques, such as woodblock printing and rubbing prints, is closely intertwined with the spread of Buddhism in China. Within this context, duplications enhance the authenticity of the original rather than diminish it. Copying can also foster innovation and democratise access. For instance, the so-called ‘woodblock-printed painting’ (mubanshuiyinhua) is a highly specialised technique developed in the last century to produce high-quality reproductions of traditional ink paintings involving sometimes hundreds of printing blocks and makers from different disciplines. During a research trip to China, the museum documented the making process of these works, which are viewed more as art than replicas. The exhibition also addresses the topic of shanzhai, where Western brands or architecture are imitated and simultaneously transformed by adding a creative twist, featuring work by artist Jing He.

The exhibition Made in China is on display at Wereldmuseum Rotterdam until 31 August 2025.