I have long been a fan of some of Johnson Tsang’s porcelain sculptures, but not until his Open Mind and Dream Series was I absolutely smitten with his work. The way he takes the human face/head and turns it into a canvas for a “thought” his thought - which is itself an added layer of each creation. It’s like the Vulcan phrase “my mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts” and with that, I thought I would share my ramblings on each piece within the two series.

Johnson Tsang Porcelain Sculptures – Open Mind Series

The Open Mind Series by Johnson Tsang features a series of porcelain heads that have literally had their minds open by a variety of different means, in this case Open Mind IV is purposefully expanding his head into a vessel. Such an awesome visual metaphor.

Open Mind V is also expanding the mind, but this time in a more linear manner. Linear thought follows a step by step process.

Open Mind I seems to represent vertical thinking which is more analytical, or selective in its process. The porcelain sculpture head seems to be deep in thought, so much so that she doesn’t realize the vertical thought process is overtaking her whole being and interfering with her ability to “see” that which is just in front of her.

Open Mind VII instantly reminded me of a Pineapple and since I have abstract metaphors so easily at hand for the series I needed to put some thought into how this porcelain sculpture fits – and then it came to me almost immediately. Closed mindedness. The head is covered with a prickly pineapple protection, keeping all those outside influences away from a mindset that does not want to embrace anything other than what it already has decided to be the truth, no matter how convincing another way just might be.

Open Mind II is also a continuation of the Johnson Tsang Splash series and so for me it represents two “thoughts”, the first being nostalgia, and the second being the process when a thought comes from a nucleus, buried deep in the unconscious and suddenly it bursts forth into a Eureka moment of excitement and possibility.

Open Mind II is a Zen piece of peace and serenity. It exemplifies a state of inner openness where thoughts and ideas can freely pass into the subconscious without resistance - not matter what that thought might be. Every thought no matter how good or bad can be observed, analyzed and objectively evaluated.

Open Mind VI is an interesting piece for me. As a person who is equally left and right handed, this piece represents the equal division between the creative and the intellectual. Having said that one half is male and one half female making Open Mind VI more likely to represent the balance and harmony achieved when men and women work together without prejudice.

Johnson Tsang Porcelain Sculptures – Lucid Dream Series

For the Lucid Dream series, Johnson Tsang has decided to give his porcelain sculptures names that hint at his inner thought process. Here, “The Windows” seems to represent the eyes, which are the windows to the soul. The eyes, thought, are covered meaning the soul has been disconnected from reality, a condition that is ever present in the abstraction our lucid dreams after all.

Still in One piece IV seems to tell the story of two star crossed lovers. Their hearts connected, but their minds disengaged. They are torn apart and feel broken but are outwardly carrying on, still in one piece. Internally they are dreaming of the day they can be together again.

Hang in There is a porcelain sculpture that seems to represent a person who has gone through a very difficult time but has managed to pick up the pieces and carry on as best as possible, dreaming of better days to come.

A Touch of Smile shows a woman dreaming happy thoughts, so happy in fact that they are like a hug, caressing her soul.

In contrast, The Back Up has gone from a happy caress to a sudden grip of fear, a clenching up and backing up from what ever lucid dream is playing out within.

The comfort is a peaceful expression of complete and utter relaxation. Mind, body and soul are all entering the night cycle of spiritual loss and rebirth.

Against the Wall is not enjoying its lucid dream and is pulling back, trying to retreat only it can’t. The wall is in the way causing the porcelain sculpture to flatten out as much as possible to leave as much space between itself and that awful lucid dream.

Two in One could represent a schizophrenic dream while Symbiosis is doing the opposite. These two porcelain sculptures represent the tearing apart and the coming together, one full of angst and the other calm and yet the lucid dream could be the same. It could represent perspective and how easily it is to see the good, or the bad in everything. The same situation could tear one person apart while at the same time connecting the dots to create a complete picture for another. What could create such opposing reactions? The instant thing that comes to mind would be the realization of a pregnancy.

Soul Talk is another porcelain sculpture that has its beginnings in Johnson Tsang’s splash series. That being said, Soul Talk seems to be a direct political statement between what is happening south of the border in both its name and in its imagery.

Shaping Love (above left) leaves me at a loss. I cannot understand how a face all bundled up in a fist is shaping love so I am simply not going to try. Documented (above right) could be a continued political statement about illegal immigrants metaphorically showcased visually the same way you would do so to a butterfly. It’s a pretty strong statement, but then again, it is just a lucid dream.

Re-mind is hilarious. When all the air has left your mind, simply blow it up and re-mind it. What an awesome dream. A balloon for a head being filled up with the head’s own mouth. OK, lets get serious for second, if you are only filling it up with your own hot air, that mind is definitely toxic.

My favourite piece in the Lucid Dreams serious is Caged. Thoughts caged, unable to get out like a bird whose wings are clipped and cannot fly free. It is the perfect metaphor for those that are afraid of speaking out, or cannot speak out without fear of consequence which in some places could be jail which is another type of cage making this a full circle metaphor.

Quarantine is a lucid dream that is based on a tall brick wall with barbed wire stretched across the top. Is this a tear down the wall dream, or build that wall dream? Maybe it is a hopeful dream that the wall is just that, a dream and the dream is crumbling brick by brick.

Master Mind stands tall on the castle turret, looking down on those that can not reach him. He is having a good day, a good life, a good dream. But it is just that, a dream, a perspective.

House for One and House for Two seem to reflect the dreams of those with very closed minds, so closed there is barely room for anything else.

Another splash reference, Go Within is riding a wave. Look close, there is a surfer in there having radical thoughts I am sure, thoughts of breaking free, fun, games, the wind and the water. The type of lucid dream we could all enjoy.

Ethereal Beauty is an organic dream while Hang in There is more industrial. Hang in There is how we feel sometimes after a long, hard day of work. We come home and just want to hang up our head and not think for the rest of the evening, while Ethereal Beauty is brimming with thoughts that are growing and reaching for the sunlight, ready to bloom and set seed.

Last but not least is a piece I thought of leaving out, but it does belong to the series so leaving it out would be wrong. Called The Breakup it is a toxic lucid dream that simply grosses me out. Even the colour of the eyes bugs me. I am sure it is supposed to have that reaction, so job well done.

Johnson Tsang

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