When moon jars misbehave: Korean artists twist ceramic tradition at Gladstone Seoul

Something is “off” about the moon jars at Gladstone Gallery Seoul. Not one conforms to the classical, gently swelling symmetry of their Joseon-era (1392-1910) predecessors. Some lean and sag as if sinking into the floor; others appear punctured, their rims warped and unsteady. Still others have been broken and pieced back together, their cracks left defiantly visible for all to see. In its new group exhibition, “Irreverent Forms,” three contemporary Korean artists each confront and defy the centuries-old tradition of ceramics through their own forms of organic, off-kilter imperfection. Lee Hun-chung seeks to break free from the ideal of perfect symmetry long prized in ceramics. He lets the unpredictable forces of clay, fire, water and air intervene in the work during the wheel-throwing process and inside the kiln. “We revere the moon jars of the 18th century because they embody the spirit of their time. But as an artist living in the 21st century, I began to wonder: if I were to recreate a vessel that looked identical to what our ancestors made, would people in the 23rd or 24tWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times