Iraqi artist Wisam Al-Samad discusses the inspiration behind his work in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, on June 10. [Photo/China News Service]

　　NANCHANG — Tracing a creative arc fromsocarrat, an ancient Arab ceramic-making technique flourishing in Valencia, Spain, to Jingdezhen's classic Chinese techniques, Spanish artist Xavier Monsalvatje is reinterpreting centuries-old craftsmanship through a contemporary lens.

　　"In almost all my projects, I've wanted to use traditional ceramic techniques and bring them into a more contemporary discourse," says Monsalvatje. The artist's cobalt-blue artwork has become a standout attraction at the ongoing International Academy of Ceramics Member Exhibition in Jingdezhen, China's renowned "porcelain capital".

　　The city in East China's Jiangxi province recently gained further recognition when UNESCO inscribed the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites on the World Heritage List on July 25, bringing China's total number of World Heritage sites to 61.

　　For more than a millennium, Jingdezhen porcelain traveled across Asia, Africa and Europe. Today, that enduring legacy continues to attract more than 5,000 ceramic artists and enthusiasts from around the world during peak seasons.

　　The city has become a creative laboratory for ceramic artists worldwide. American artist Michael May uses 3D printing to produce ceramic works, taking advantage of Jingdezhen's advanced equipment and technical expertise. Fellow American Matt Watterson incorporates ancient ceramic fragments from the city into his own creations.

　　Russian-British artist Svetlana K-Liee also says her work evolved over three years in Jingdezhen, where she kept trying new techniques such as wood kilns and combining glass with ceramics.