Contemporary Works

The Art of Ceramic Creation: A Dialogue Between Artist and Material

My ceramic artwork reflects my deep understanding of the inherent distinctions between ceramic and non-ceramic materials, as well as the relationship between these materials and myself as the artist. Each material possesses its own distinct personality, separate from mine. Recognizing this separation creates a dynamic tension, leading us to seek a connection based on our unique qualities. However, this connection can only be established within the delicate dimensions of time and space, where our "interaction" takes place, fostering and shaping creativity. This interaction embodies the fundamental essence of my artistic process.

As an artist, I strive to avoid imposing my own identity onto the materials. I must not surpass the boundaries of passive empathy and coexistence. Similarly, I cannot expect the materials to acknowledge my existence. Failing to acknowledge this essential separation in the artistic creative process results in the loss of true creativity. I must refrain from imbuing preconceptions into the materials, as it hinders the pure connection between myself and their individualities. This abandonment of recognizing their heterogeneity ultimately prevents the attainment of genuine "interaction" and "creativity."

Within the realm of ceramic art, it is vital to confront the reality that materials inherently exist as distinct entities. Likewise, the materials also acknowledge my distinctiveness as an artist. Broadly speaking, creativity emerges from the process of these two entities interacting and expressing their respective individualities to one another. It is a process of embracing the otherness within ourselves. The relationship between the materials and myself, as the creator, should not be fixed, as previously mentioned, but relatively flexible. Hastily projecting preconceptions onto the materials excessively defines encounters with others and avoids the risk of maintaining distance, akin to gradually adapting to the diversity and changes of time and space in contemporary society. Consequently, the act of artistic creation carries both social and political dimensions.

 
Right: "Confrontation," (w)97.0 -(d)25.0 -(h)51.0 cm, heel-thrown stoneware with slip, wire, and wood addition, traditional way fired to 1300 degrees C. in oxidized atmosphere, ten-day firing. Published in The Ceramic Design Book, A Gallery of Contemporary Work, p.163, Lark Books, 67 Broadway Asheville, NC 28801, U.S.A., 1998.

 
 
Right: "On Instinct," (w)48.0 -(d)42.0 -(h)30.0 cm, stoneware with slip, sprayed surface with the solution of salt and wire additions, wood-fired, traditional way fired to 1200 degrees C., eight-day firing, Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramics Award 2002. Exhibited at Shepparton Art Gallery, Victoria, Australia, February 27- April 25, 2002.

 
Left: "High Into the Air," (w)92.0 -(d)15.0 -(h)50.0cm, wheel-thrown stoneware with slip, wood fired and charcoal smoked, fired to 1250 degrees C. in reduction, eight-day firing, with twig and metal, 2013 Cluj International Ceramics Biennial. Exhibited at Cluj-Napoca Museum of Art, Romania, October 9- November 3, 2013.

 
 
Right: "Inductive Inference," (w) 49.0-(d)34.0 -(h)52.0cm, wheel-thrown stoneware and slip, wood fired and charcoal smoked, fired 1280 degrees C. in oxidized atmosphere, eight-day firing, with iron rod, Seres'14, 3rd International Exhibition of Ceramics and Glass. Exhibited at Anadolu University, Yunusemre Campus, Congress Centre, Eskisehir, Turkey, 15- 17 October, 2014.

 
 
Right: "Non-color; Otherness (05-28-1)," (w)125.0–(d)45.0–(h)16.0 cm, hand-built stoneware elements assembled over some threaded iron rod, non glaze with slip, silicon tube, iron rod and epoxy, electric kiln, fired 1250 degrees C. in reduction. Consists of 3 pieces, mixed-media, the 5th International Triennial of Silicate Arts, Organized by the Foundation for Contemporary Ceramic Arts, Hungary. Exhibited at the Kecskemét Cultural and Conference Centre, Hungary, September 3- September 30, 2017. 

In a “White” that Germinates
 
The concept of "unglazed" ceramics is to eliminate superficial decoration and explore the essence of "objects" as materials. It deviates from the conventional rhythm of pottery, departing from the notion of completion after firing, embracing the inherent qualities of the 'object', and reflecting the complexity of human emotions. The absence of color, termed as 'non-color', deeply resonates with Japan's traditional unglazed pottery (natural glaze), aligning with a sensibility rooted in the aesthetic of 'wabi' and 'sabi', akin to a naturalistic perception.
 
White, or rather 'non-color', serves as a canvas for introspection. It rejects facile categorizations, prompting us to explore purity and potentiality. By lacking color, an intertwining of impurities and potentialities emerges, further expanding the breadth of interpretation with the inclusion of disparate materials (non-ceramic materials). Thus, enigmatic spaces are born. The egg form is, quite literally, a symbol transcending shape. It embodies 'androgynous form', suggesting the infinite. Within its simplicity lies a profound message about the pursuit of existence and ideals.
 
Like life, the artwork possesses a duality of transience and resilience, beginnings and infinite possibilities. In the 'blank spaces' such as absence and presence, altered movements, we discover their beauty and significance. Unglazed pottery and its egg form are a vivid, unadorned, enigmatic 'dance' that reflects the human experience.