Over 2,000 years ago, China invented and experimented with porcelain, perfecting the art, dynasty by dynasty, leading to the creation of the three great porcelain types. These masterworks, spurred by trade, were made and remade, generation to generation, eventually embedding themselves in the western cultural consciousness as the epitome of refinement and class in the form of ‘fine china.’
Rawry & Pohly’s artwork Year of the Bus was inspired by these master ceramicists, combining the classic porcelain colours of cobalt blue and Chinese red porcelain with their iconic blended visual art, a style deeply rooted in pop art; featuring striking geometrically shaped characters with minimal, iconic line weight, bold, vibrant colours, farcical names and descriptions.
Each side of Year of the Bus depicts a playful scene, where dragon dancers ride on top of wheel wells, lettuce tease a pair of lions, while two stone lions guard the rear. The design was a collaboration with Calgary’s Chinatown — and as it journeys across Calgary, it is both a reminder and a celebration of the integral cultural spaces that we all share.