Bien Hoa Ceramics

When we become stories, creations transform—carrying life within them. Our admiration for Biên Hòa ceramics is akin to how we cherish our own imperfections and flaws. Come, explore with us the captivating essence embedded in every ceramic piece.

Isamu Noguchi, Sculptor

Too often, we take art for granted. We elevate it to great heights, only to distance ourselves from it further. Immersed in the daily rush, we forget that art has always been present—surrounding us.

Perhaps hope is found in embracing the contradictions between reality and imagination, between what we believe and what is fleeting.

Biên Hòa ceramics hold a significant place at Amanaki. This extraordinary craft carries both history and culture, shaping not only its own identity but also how we define ourselves.

The first confluence happened when Saigon’s Cây Mai pottery merged with centuries-old craftsmanship from Biên Hòa artisans. The second pivotal moment came exactly a century ago, when French couple Robert and Mariette Balick were entrusted with running the Biên Hòa Vocational School (later renamed the School of Indigenous Arts, now known as Đồng Nai College of Decorative Arts). From this era, a unique local glaze was born—an exquisite fusion of native and imported materials: Đà Nẵng sand, Biên Hòa laterite and kaolin, various ash compositions, copper shavings, and fragments of glass. The result? A breathtaking aesthetic, deeply symbolic.

Reaching its peak in both craftsmanship and global recognition in the 1960s, Biên Hòa ceramics became a melting pot of influences—integrating Limoges porcelain from France, imported Chinese ceramics, and indigenous Cham pottery. Their artistry, celebrated internationally and beloved locally, spans from ornamental displays to everyday household objects. From delicate floral motifs to Hindu deities, mythical creatures to daily life scenes, Biên Hòa ceramics possess a rare ability to convey layers of meaning—profound yet fluid.