FROM AMPHAWA TO FLORENCE How the Navarong pottery progressed from a quiet river town

Abstract

Through their state-funded research, a team of design academics undertook to bring
new life to Benjarong traditional pottery in Amphawa by reconciling innovation with
tradition. The research outcome was twofold. Firstly, an alternative discourse was proposed
to enable designers to draw visual resources from Asia, thus extending design possibilities
much further. Secondly an improvement of the production technique of Benjarong was
recommended to enable design developments for the pottery. By putting the traditional
Benjarong in the context of today’s cultural dynamism, Amphawa became the birthplace of a
new version of polychrome pottery - Navarong, which later earned recognitions in cities
abroad, including Florence.