By Kim Ji-soo
Ceramics from Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, will go on exhibition in October at the America Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) in Pasadena, Calif.
A total of 180 works including blue, white and grayish-blue powdered celadon produced in the town east of Seoul will be on display for 77 days under the title “Icheon ― the Renaissance of Korean Traditional Ceramics.”
During the exhibition, about 200 ceramic products will also be on sale at the museum’s shopping mall, according to Icheon officials.
Icheon is known as a ceramics hub in Korea, where there are estimated 420 kilns and about 15 master artists focusing on the blue celadon of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) and the white celadon of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).
Five master or master-level potters from Icheon will hold a workshop during the event. They are Yu Yong-chul of Nokweon Ceramics, Kim Seong-tae of Songweol Ceramics, Lee Hyang-gu of Namyang Ceramics, Choi In-gyu of Janghwi Ceramics and Jo Se-yeon of Bogwang Ceramics.
“The exhibition at AMOCA is significant in that the work from Icheon will be representing Korean ceramics, and also at the same time will showcase their cultural beauty to the American public,” said Icheon Mayor Cho Byeong-don.
“Also meaningful is that the ceramics will be on sale at the museum,” Cho added.
“The works from Janghwi Ceramics will be Gyoreo blue celadon, but I will be integrating modern design with our tradition,” said Choi In-gyu, a master potter said. Choi won a presidential award for his work in 2007.
AMOCA is the sole ceramics-only museum in the western United States.
Icheon officials said that director David Armstrong showed appreciation for Korean ceramics, noting that ceramics arts have made great advancements.
The exhibition is expected to be the largest demonstration of Korean ceramics ― the last such exhibition was held in Korea Town in Los Angeles in 2000.