The First Central China Ceramics Biennale, Cont{r}act Earth, is a rich and expansive survey of contemporary art from leading international artists and designers. This Biennale is grounded in contemporary artistic investigations of our Anthropocene age, the earth, and relationships with our environment. Installations engage with the two central themes of the Biennial. ‘Contact’ refers to the materiality of clay, and ‘Contract’ suggests a sense of obligation – as guardians of our natural and cultural heritage. Works in clay, glass, still and moving images, and mixed media, are presented. They dialogue with the central themes of the Biennale, exploring the transition from mud to form, sound, innovative ways to combine glass and clay, ecologically engaged projects, global ceramics legacies legacies and relationships between nature and technology. The exhibition presents 42 installations by 50 artists from 20 countries. Five international guest Artists in Residence worked with key partners in Henan province to produce ambitious projects that engage with local culture and history.