Life in Ceramics: Five Contemporary Korean Artists May 8, 2011

Korean ceramics have been admired since the 12th century for their superb craftsmanship and original shapes, techniques, and design, as well as for their visual reflection of the culture's history and soul. This exhibition focuses on five artists with well established reputations in Korea, whose visually stunning ceramic objects acknowledge and engage with Korean clay traditions yet embody innovative, unexpected art making and conceptual approaches. Life in Ceramics brings together for the first time the work of Kim Yikyung, Lee In Chin, Lee Kang Hyo, Lee Young-jae, and Yoon Kwang-cho. These contemporary ceramicists take familiar, everyday forms such as bowls and vases as a starting point from which to explore the astonishing beauty of these shapes as works of art. Each produces work grounded in Korea's ancient ceramic traditions, but takes it in new and often surprising directions. Objects from each artist's everyday ware collection will also be shown, so that visitors can examine how each artist makes the distinction between fine art and functional design.