Ceramics Biennale Offers Art, Films, Fun
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Ever wanted to learn more about ceramics, make your own ceramics or simply admire beautiful ceramic works of art?
Head over to the on-going 5th World Ceramic Biennale 2009 which runs through May 24 in Icheon, Yeoju and Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.
Icheon is the largest ceramics center in Korea, while Yeoju and Gwangju are also considered major ceramics hubs. Every year, there are ceramics festivals in these three cities, but every two years, the festivals are combined with the World Ceramic Biennale.
This international event highlights the beauty and history of ceramics, and attracts ceramics artists and enthusiasts from all over the world. The main events are the international competition and exhibitions featuring contemporary ceramics, but there are also interesting side-events such as art workshops, symposiums and the first-ever Clay Art Film Festival in Korea.
Showcase of Ceramic Art
The biennale showcases contemporary ceramics by artists from all over the world. Over 1,726 artists from 70 countries submitted 3,196 works for the biennale's international competition, but the jury accepted only 186 pieces.
Fire is the essential element in transforming clay into fine art, hence the biennale's the theme ``Adventures of the Fire.''
Visitors will have a chance to see the prize-winning works plus all the entries for the International Competition at the Icheon World Ceramic Center, located near Seolbong Park.
``I hope that the international competition, as a global festival of ceramic artists, indeed provides an opportunity to discover new creations in ceramic art and makes the values of ceramic art widely known throughout the world,'' said Seo Hyo-won, president of the World Ceramic Exposition Foundation (WOCEF).
The jury decided not to give a Grand Prize this year, instead choosing only to give out gold, silver and bronze prizes. The Gold Prize under the ``ceramics for use'' category was given to German artist Stefanie Hering Esslinger's ``Fine dining-Pulse," a set of exquisite porcelain dinnerware. Korean artist Seo Byung-ho's mixed clay sculpture won the Gold Prize under ``ceramics as expression'' category.
Another exhibition ``The Future Timbre,'' held at the Icheon Ceramic Shopping Mall, focuses on young Korean artists who are seeking a new identity for Korean contemporary ceramics.
Outside the halls, visitors can enjoy the lovely spring weather by taking a walk through Seolbong International Sculpture Park, filled with high-quality sculptures by foreign and Korean artists or Toyaland park, where kids will be delighted by the cute, colorful ceramic sculptures. It's also a good idea to visit the picturesque Seolbongho Lake.
The biennale continues in Yeoju, where the exhibition ``Ceramic Space & Life'' is being held at the Yeoju World Ceramic Livingware Gallery, through June 21.
Most of the ceramic pieces here look like they would be welcome additions to anyone's stylish home. Korean interior designer Park Seong-chil designed the second floor into eight sections, one for each day of the week and a rest place.
Gwangju, on the other hand, pays special attention to Korean royal ceramics. The exhibition ``Bunwon Royal Kiln Porcelain I-II'' at Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum gives visitors a chance to look at 50 masterpieces of Joseon porcelain, alongside 50 modern white porcelain pieces made by contemporary Korean artists.
Organizers hope to further educate visitors about ceramics through guided tours to all the biennale venues and an exhibition of interactive images called ``Flame of Creation'' at Gombangdae Kiln, Icheon. Children can play with ceramic toys at the Toya Playroom in Icheon, or participate in activities such as treading on clay and throwing clay balls at the Clay Playgrounds in Icheon and Yeoju.
Clay Art Film Festival
As the biennale organizers seek to expand its audience, two new events are being introduced for the first time, the Clay Art Film Festival and the World Ceramic Jamboree.
The Clay Art Film Festival features 22 films, including prize-winning experimental films from the International Film Festival on Clay and Glass (FIFAV) in France. The Ateliers d'art de France has staged the FIFAV every two years since 1998, ``showcasing mixed media experimental works and images on clay and glass.''
``I was trying to find some different way to attract the public in order to show various possibilities and potential of ceramics, and its element: clay. Then I thought that film was the best media that can step closer to the public explaining how colorfully interpreted the ceramics could be,'' Moon Yu-jin, assistant curator of the WOCEF, told The Korea Times, in an email interview.
The festival focuses on introducing to the Korean public a variety of approaches to ceramics and its related materials. Moon hopes young Korean artists would see the films and be inspired by these new practices.
``I hope to carry on this festival annually or biannually, but focusing on presenting Korean artists' works. It could be documentary films, clay animations, historical films, recording of performances or some artistic films. I tried to select the most experimental films among the entries in the past three FIFAV, and those that may surprise, or even shock, the public,'' she said.
The films include clay-animated films with a satirical look on today's society; performance videos combining clay, contemporary dance and images; and documentaries on ceramic traditions around the world.
Spanish artist Juan Pablo Etcheverry's clay animation ``Minotauromaquia ― Pablo en el Laberinto,'' is about Pablo Picasso making his way through a labyrinth and encounters figures from his paintings. Etcheverry develops a story `` full of metaphors, mixing pictures, paintings, clay and his surrealistic imagination,'' while using Stravinsky's ``Firebird" as the soundtrack.
Chinese artist Lu Bin made a documentary ``Pottery from Ethnic Minorities in Southwest China'' about the pottery traditions of these ethnic groups, and the current social problems they are facing.
``Malformance Performance'' by Croatian artist Tomislav Gregl is an entertaining animated story about the emergence of evil using heads of historical leaders that are made of clay.
For Moon, a personal favorite is ``Minotaur-Ex,'' a collaboration between French director Bruno Aveillan and choreographer Philippe Combes, and inspired by the Greek myth of Minotaur.
``The sounds and scenes as well as the choreography seem very symbolic, but at the same time, the harmony completed by each scene is quite descriptive,'' she said.
Another must-see film is ``White Spotted #1'' by Israeli artists Roy Maayan and Anat Katz. It tests the boundaries between ceramics and dance, as Maayan and Katz try to unite their separate performances into one.
Film screenings are held every day at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Toya Gallery, Icheon World Ceramic Center, through May 24.
The World Ceramic Jamboree is an on-site art project competition that showcases innovative visions of young art students from Korea and around the world. The main program consists of a team project workshop and an exhibition of the participants' current works.
``I hope that participants can actively exchange their skills and point of views on ceramics with each other at the venue so that they develop their own manner of working on ceramic arts,'' Moon said.
Make Your Own Ceramics
Aside from the biennale, there are on-going ceramics festivals in Icheon and Yeoju. The 23rd Icheon Ceramics Festival is held at the Icheon Ceramics Village, as well as Seolbong Park.
At the ceramics village, you can watch a demonstration of firing a traditional kiln and how to make pottery.
If you're willing to get your hands dirty, try your hand at making your own pottery for only 15,000 won. Those who prefer shopping can choose from all the shops selling ceramics of all shapes, sizes and prices.
To get there:
Icheon:
Take the bus to Icheon either from Gangnam Express Bus Terminal or Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. Buses run every 30-40 minutes.
Yeoju:
Take the bus to Yeoju from Gangnam Express Bus Terminal.
Gwangju:
Take the intercity bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (1113-1), Jamsil Station (500-1) or Nambu Bus Terminal (500-2).
There are shuttle buses between Gwangju to Icheon and Icheon to Yeoju.
Tickets to the biennale sites are 5,000 for adults, 4,000 for teens and 3,000 won for children. A family ticket for parents and 2 children is only 12,000 won. Visit www.wocef.com or www.ceramics.or.kr.