August 2, 2026
Australian-based ceramic artist Yijian Duan (Darian Duan)has received the Ilirika Acquisition Award at the 6th InternationalCeramics Triennial UNICUM 2026, held by the National Museum of Slovenia inLjubljana.
UNICUM is an international triennial dedicated tocontemporary ceramic art. The 2026 edition brings together selected artistsfrom more than 30 countries and presents exhibitions across several venues inLjubljana. According to the organisers, 170 artists were selected from a record395 applicants representing over 50 countries.
Duan received the Ilirika Acquisition Award for hiswork Blue-and-White Splashed-Colour Carved Rim-Meiping Vase (2025),created in Qingbai porcelain with underglaze painting. The award includes theacquisition of the work for the award collection.
In its award statement, the jury noted that the work"transcends its purely functional purpose and becomes an autonomoussculptural form." The jury further commented that, through a refinedvisual language, the artist establishes "a dialogue between contemporarydesign, artistic expression, and the heritage of the ceramic medium."
The 6th International Ceramics Triennial UNICUM 2026 is onview at the National Museum of Slovenia and partner venues in Ljubljana from 15May to 15 October 2026.
Ilirika Acquisition Award UNICUM 2026
Yijian Duan, CHN, Lives and works in AustraliaBlue-and-White Splashed-Colour Carved Rim-Meiping Vase2025, Qingbai porcelain, underglaze painting, 52 x 33 x 54 cm
Jury Citation:
For creating a vase that transcends its purely functional purpose and becomes an autonomous sculptural form. Through a refined visual language, the artist establishes a dialogue between contemporary design, artistic expression, and the heritage of the ceramic medium.
More details could be found here: https://www.nms.si/en/exhibitions/forthcoming/12220-UNICUM-2026
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