Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yeonsoo Kim. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Yeonsoo, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I grew up on a little island without electricity where I got used to watching the sunrise and sunset every day. Living on the island opened my mind to all sorts of natural objects, such as mountains, sea, field, and eventually I fell in love with the soil and fire. I had been doing my art study with painting and playing with nature. From there I have learned the characteristics of clay, and I was attracted to its power of liveliness and vigor. This has made me focus my interest on ceramics. I am not only seeking an opportunity to create a new horizon of ceramics as expression, but also attempting to restore the communicative power of ceramics. I have been thinking about some of issues; “What is the source of beauty in ceramics, and how can ceramics be formally original? How could I make something new? Those being the cases, it would seem that some of Korean ceramic artists are declaring that the solution should be found in diverse ways. I have invested time to focus on the result of years of effort to seek answers through their works.
To find my own way, I worked at various Onggi factories and ceramics studios so as to understand the art of blue celadon, white porcelain and bunchung. That was when I started to secure the strong footing in the field of Korea’s traditional pottery. If there is no interest or knowledge about tradition, one would have no roots for creating. I would be missing important past information. It was important for me to understand the background of social and spiritual traditions. I also focus on current events both politically and socially. I believe that if one has no understanding or education of these things, one would have a very small world-view and narrow mind. After all, if I learn these things first, I can then develop contemporary art by the broadening of my knowledge. This issue is not only present within the ceramics world, but in the entire world as a whole.

In college, while many students found Korean tradition as an outdated one and pursued contemporary ceramics only, I thought the tradition was where I could truly find my identity. That is why I chose to pursue apprenticeships with two Onggi masters. I was trained not only technically but also spiritually, for I gained the wisdom of life, and life-altering experience.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Clay is one of the most direct materials for recording artistic intent. I have used dark clay in the past, but I have not been working with it lately, in order to experience something new. I can accept new things, when I throw away my old habits or ways of making art. The clay I have been using recently is white porcelain with underglaze and brush drawing. It was important to chang my clay body, and thrilling for me to learn a new process. I created pinch-forming a vessel, no addition or subtraction, from one lump of clay. It was then fired in an gas kiln, and its face is glazed with brush drawing.

Inspiration for my sculptures often results naturally from the drawings. My designs and colors are not planned out beforehand, but come into existence extemporaneously. The unique figure characters are represented in diverse emotions states. In improvisation, the moment is the most important part of the process my work. In order to express that moment, I keep in touch with the clay and while making my work.

I started with Listeing series, trying to investigate in my inner voices. I made pinched vessels, using coiling technique with brush drawing. It was representational of myself in a moment while I was working with clay in the studio day by day. Some of my listening series, which I created around forms, I deal with my various facial expression, by drawing different face forms. This piece conveys a series of emotions about myself, in other words, moments of daily life.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes. I’d love for people to sharing about my journey with clay. My art comes from my experiences in both South Korea and the United States. As a South Korean, I have a deep appreciation for the rich history of ceramics, Onggi, Buncheong, Blue clean and White porcelain which has guided me to contextualize the traditional principles of ceramics and to understand clay as a craft medium.
However, having developed my career and studio practice in the United States, my perspective has enlarged to see the potential of clay in contemporary and interdisciplinary modalities.
So, I believe true sharing is not just the exchange of skill and technique but also the development of understanding and friendship between people and artists.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

In my studio practice, I question individual trust in one’s sense of awareness by overturning expected sensorial experiences. Recently, I tasked myself daily with the job of creating a new hand-built vessel or ceramic sculpture. The works, in accumulation act as a type of diary, or as I describe it a call “to listen to my inner voice.”

In Listening, I present these works that explore identity and psychological conditions through the marking and making of daily life. I am rewarded every day when being in the studio while making the art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yeonsooceramics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeonsooceramics/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yeonsookim1977/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kimyeonsoo77

Image Credits
Image Credits by Yeonsoo Kim