VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.- The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria presents Faces: Character and Wisdom in Shiwan Ceramic Sculpture, on view through November 2, 2005.

"Among the ceramic sculptures of China, none can rival the Shiwan figures in terms of modeling, vivid expression, and colourful glazes… It is an art form of pure Cantonese taste, and the pieces reflect the characteristics of the Cantonese people – bold, earthy and fun-loving." --Terese Tse Bartholomew, A Matter of Taste, 1986.

Shiwan wares were a popular folk ceramic produced in Fo Shan, Guangdong province in the Ming and Qing dynasties (14th to early 20th century), and have continued to be popular to this day. These ceramics include not only a wide variety of colourful containers, but also images of famous Chinese personages from history, lore and legend as well as animals and birds. Shiwan ware is now highly collectable and numerous well-known museums have begun collecting it seriously.

Shiwan wares in the exhibition are courtesy of the Council of Canadian-American Relations / American Friends of Canada through the generosity of Carol Potter Peckham.