Mina Ton: Salamander, 2020, pottery
The inspiration and idea to create a teapot came from a trip to Vietnam, where the artist's roots lie. The country has an ancient tea culture that endures to this day. Tea is affordable, served at all times of the day and on a lot of occasions. A vibrant cultural memory is conditioned by active participation in the festivals, customs and meals. The intention of crafting a teapot is less based in its later use, but rather in its function as a symbol for a cultural practice. The teapot is inspired by the colors of the landscapes but also by Vietnamese architecture, for example the tapered roofs of pagodas.
Mina Ton is the child of a Vietnamese couple which came to Germany in the 1980s because of work. She was born in Memmingen in 1997 and grew up between the German and Vietnamese cultures. She is now studying primary school education with a major in art education at Augsburg University and is expected to graduate in 2022. Her ceramic works have a functional focus.