Akiko Hirai: Still Unfolding

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High above the glaze-spattered floor of Akiko Hirai’s studio, Moon Jars roost on the shelves like tranquil, plump-bellied hens. The traditional Korean vessel – named for its milkish colour and rounded outline – is a signature piece for the artist, whose expressive corruptions of its centuries-old form have gifted the once prosaic object a startling … Read more

The White of the Moon

wlc the white of the moon jpg webp The White of the Moon korean

How the colour of light, snow and shamanic dance has shaped the Korean nation Sister Sun and Brother Moon There is an old tale in Korean folklore of a tiger who met a poor lady walking home. She had been working at a rich household, providing a dinner of rice-cakes. The hungry tiger demanded a … Read more

Exhibition | Lee Kang-hyo

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On Saturday 17th September 2022 Goldmark Gallery opened its third exhibition of pots by Lee Kang-hyo, who had set aside the very best of his work for five years in preparation for this show and the results are breathtaking. Lee is recognised to be one of the finest potters presently working in Korea and, with recent interviews in Tatler Magazine and a major exhibition in Hong Kong, has an international reputation to match.

Although his work has a modern twist he is deeply steeped in Korean tradition. The beauty of his work is undeniable; spontaneous and direct, generous of form and naturally inventive. Every pot, large or small, is a work of art; each as individual as a fingerprint and perfectly weighted, a relaxed and confident marriage of style and function.

Lee’s work is rooted in the major Korean ceramic traditions of Onggi pottery – voluminous storage jars originally designed for holding fermented food – and Punch’ong decoration, where white slip is layered and brushed over dark clay.

Much of his work derives its strength and energy from his unusual decorative techniques. Dancing to the sounds of traditional Korean music, he applies thick slips in a trance-like performance. Hurling, splashing, and sweeping the liquid clay onto his pot surfaces, initially with ladles, later with his bare hands, he remains totally abandoned to the rhythm of pounding drums.

‘He says “Making art is like setting off to travel to places to find peace in the mind”. It is wonderful that we too can partake in this remarkable voyage.’ – David Whiting.

Masterclass | Kang-hyo Lee | Moon Jars

L1006552 jpg webp Masterclass | Kang-hyo Lee | Moon Jars korean

Join the great contemporary Korean potter, Kang-hyo Lee, as he makes moon jars from start to finish.

Kang-hyo Lee’s moon jars are not just beautiful ceramic objects: they are spiritual reflections of the natural world, alternately calm and contemplative, dynamic and dramatic.

Born in Seoul in 1961, Kang-hyo Lee is widely regarded as one of the finest Korean potters working today. His work is rooted in the major Korean ceramic traditions of Onggi pottery – voluminous storage jars originally designed for holding fermented food – and Punch’ong decoration, where white slip is layered and brushed over dark clay.

Perhaps the most beguiling of his many beautiful forms, however, are Lee’s moon jars, a type of pottery that inhabits a special place in the history of Korean ceramics.

In his moon jars, however, the decorative process is slowed to a serenely meditative pace. Scratched and splattered slip-marks echo dappled moonlight between woodland trees; blushes of peach and cream-white reflect the luminescence of a full-moon in the early evening sky.

Both quiet and vital, powerful and with presence, Lee’s moon jars are the intimate results of his search for a beautiful life.

Masterclass | Throwing and Decorating Small Bowls

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Watch top Korean potter, Lee Kang-hyo, throwing small bowls on the wheel in his studio. Lee has previously talked about how, when throwing bowls, he tries to touch the clay for the least amount of time possible. He then decorates them using the ancient Korean method of white slip applied with a brush, known as Guiyal. He finishes by comparing the freshly decorated bowls with ones that have already been fired.

Documentary | Lee Kang-hyo | Onggi Master

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Our documentary tells the story of one of the most respected Korean potters, Lee Kang-hyo and his search for a beautiful life, through his work with clay and the love of his family. Set against the backdrop of his South Korean studio, it gives an insight into the spiritual journey that plays a vital part in his artistic practice.

Lee is world-famous for mastering the traditional Korean technique called Onggi – a technique that allows him to make enormous, often man-sized pots. Watch him constructing three of these giant Onggi pots over a five-day period, culminating in an exciting explosion of glaze and colour as Lee sets about decorating them in his inimitable fashion.

Documentary | Jim Malone | Potter

jim malone thumb jpg webp Documentary | Jim Malone | Potter korean

Jim Malone lives and works in the beautiful and remote Cumbrian countryside. Our film provides a rare insight into the working life of one of Britain’s most respected potters. Malone talks about his throwing and glazing techniques as well as the decorating of pots in the traditional Korean style (Hakeme). He fires alone over a 24 hour period.