“In modern art, as everyone knows, the beauty of deformity is very often emphasised, insisted upon. But how different is Korean deformity. The former is produced deliberately, the latter naturally. Korean work is merely the natural result of the artisan’s state of mind, which is free from dualistic man-made rules… Here lies buried the mystery of the endless beauty of the Korean artisan’s work. He simply makes what he wants, without pretension.”
Yang Soetsu
Tristan Hoare is delighted to present an exhibition of 15 Contemporary Moon Jars from Korea.
The distinctive shape of the Moon Jar is unique to Korea, emerging in 17th Century and reaching its peak in the 18th century Joseon period. Large vessels which cannot be made in one piece on the potters wheel, the upper and lower parts are produced separately and joined in the middle, forming a rounded body said to resemble a full moon. Because they are made from two separate parts the shape is never perfect giving Moon Jars their distinctive organic presence and character. No jar is the same, setting them apart from standardised shapes in Chinese and Japanese ceramics and imbuing them with a personality which has fascinated artists and collectors for hundreds of years.
The exhibition is a modest exploration of contemporary Korean Moon Jars and brings together works by 6 different artists. Kim Yikyung, the “mother” of modern Korean ceramics will be shown for the first time in London. The exhibition also includes a vase by Kwon Dae Sup (b. 1952), a modern self-taught master who only produces half a dozen jars a year and whose porcelain is admired for its milky white translucent glaze. Another master who takes inspiration from this time is Lee Yong Soon (b.1957) who sources clay near the locations of the 18th century Royal Kilns and uses a traditional firewood kiln. Man Pyung ( b. 1976) is considered among the most skilled of the younger ceramicists and mixes salt into the clay to create an unusual skin and atmosphere in his vessels. The exhibition also includes two photographs by Koo Bohn Chang (b. 1953) from his well-known Vessel series focusing on the harmony of traditional Korean masterworks seen through a modern lens.
The inspiration for the exhibition is the great 18th Century Joseon Moon Jar in the British museum. It was owned by Bernard Leach who admired Korean pots for their natural simplicity and unselfconsciousness and acquired it on a trip to Korea in 1936. Fascinatingly, he gave it to Lucie Rie in 1943 who kept it until her death 50 years later when it was returned to Bernard Leache’s widow, Janet. The British museum acquired the Moon Jar at the ‘Janet Leach Collection’ auction at Bonhams in 1999.
The exhibition is in collaboration with Gallery LVS&CRAFT, Seoul, Korea.