The ship never reached her destination, however, sinking halfway on her journey in the middle of the South China Sea.
Decades later, the remains of the ship (now known as the Wanli shipwreck) were discovered off the coast of Terengganu, now recognised under the Unesco Silk Roads Programme.
The porcelain aboard the ill-fated ship never reached its intended market, but have found a new lease of life as striking artworks, exactly 400 years after their original creation!
When local artist Alice Chang heard about the Wanli shipwreck, she was astounded how a major part of maritime history had just been resting off the coastline for such a long time.
About six years ago, she discovered the Instagram account of someone wishing to dispose of loose pieces from the shipwreck. Chang responded, and received about 40-50 kg of material!
“What truly moved me were the broken porcelain pieces – overlooked and discarded, even though they shared the same historic value as those that ended up in prestigious auction houses.
“I wanted to give them a new lease of life, to transform what was once considered worthless into something meaningful and beautiful,” Chang, 56, told FMT Lifestyle.
The material sat unused in her studio, however, until Chang was finally seized by inspiration last year.
The artist created several sculptures embedded with actual relics obtained from the shipwreck, as well as a series of paintings reflecting her personal interpretation of these classical artifacts and their journey through time.
The results are “Me, Then Blue”, an exhibition of 11 sculptures and 20 paintings at Chang’s own Lai Lai Art Gallery in Kuala Ampang.
The exhibition takes its name from the vivid and distinctive shade of blue found in the Wanli shipwreck’s Ming Dynasty porcelain pieces.
Appropriately, the venue is lit up in shades of azure and cyan, creating a dreamlike atmosphere echoing the ocean depths where these historical treasures lay submerged for years.
The artworks are a unique fusion of history and imagination, creating a haunting yet striking meditation on time, loss, and transformation.
This is the fifth solo exhibition for Chang, who currently conducts research and creates art in her private studios in Malaysia and Italy.
Her signature projects include various large-scale murals and sculptures at TRX City Park and Kwai Chai Hong.
“I actually went to Jingdezhen, where this porcelain was made, a while ago. It’s a very rural, sparse place. Not much entertainment, so that the people there could create such vivid works of art, is quite impressive. I find what they created very ‘pure’,” said Chang, who hails from Jerantut, Pahang.
To illustrate her point, she pointed to a series of paintings named ‘Turned’: these feature depictions of deer-like animals inspired by motifs on the Wanli porcelain.
“These are always drawn in pairs. They could be friends or couples. In many of them, their heads are turned at each other. It’s as if they are saying they will always remember each other, they will always wait,” Chang mused.
Another highlight of the exhibition is Chang’s “Gift” sculptures, which evoke ornate ornamental vases: this represents how these artworks were ultimately the Wanli Shipwreck’s “gift” to the world.
Chang said she hoped people who visited “Me, Then Blue” would be inspired to delve more into the country’s history.
“I hope more people will be more open to the world, and recognise there is so much art and beauty to discover. I think there are many fascinating things around us all the time,” Chang mused. “But too often, we are too busy to appreciate them.”
‘Me, Then Blue’ Art Exhibition by Alice Chang (Now till July 29)
Lai Lai Art Gallery
2, Lorong Awan 3
Kuala Ampang
68000 Ampang
Selangor
Opening hours:
10am-5pm (Closed Mondays and Thursdays)
Admission is free
For more information, visit Lai Lai Art Gallery’s website or follow the gallery on Facebook and Instagram.