When moon jars misbehave: Korean artists twist ceramic traditions at Gladstone Seoul

Installation view of "Irreverent Forms" at Gladstone Gallery Seoul / Courtesy of Gladstone Gallery

Something is “off” about the moon jars at Gladstone Gallery Seoul. Not one conforms to the classical, gently swelling symmetry of their Joseon-era (1392-1910) predecessors. Some lean and sag as if sinking into the floor; others appear punctured, their rims warped and unsteady. Still others have been broken and pieced back together, their cracks left defiantly visible for all to see.

In its new group exhibition, “Irreverent Forms,” three contemporary Korean artists each confront and defy the centuries-old tradition of ceramics through their own forms of organic, off-kilter imperfection.

Lee Hun-chung seeks to break free from the ideal of perfect symmetry long prized in ceramics. He lets the unpredictable forces of clay, fire, water and air intervene in the work during the wheel-throwing process and inside the kiln.

“We revere the moon jars of the 18th century because they embody the spirit of their time. But as an artist living in the 21st century, I began to wonder: if I were to recreate a vessel that looked identical to what our ancestors made, would people in the 23rd or 24th century look at it with the same reverence they feel for the originals?” he said at the gallery.

“I believe art is born through destruction. By negating an existing value, a new one can emerge. So for me, challenging those old, heavy traditions of beauty has opened the door to new possibilities.”

Dan Kim's "Persona #2" (2021) / Courtesy of Gladstone Gallery

Meanwhile, Dan Kim uses the moon jar that has been erupted wide open as a vessel to express his hybrid identity and queer selfhood.

“In ceramics classes, the curriculum often focuses on how precisely you can replicate your professor’s jar. And in Korea, the form itself is iconic. I wanted to experiment with making and unmaking this object that, in many ways, symbolizes normativity,” he told The Korea Times.

Kim gathered discarded ceramic shards of varying colors and sizes and reassembled them into a single body. After firing, he poured glazes in different hues over the surface and even bound the jars with rope — a sculptural embodiment of a queer aesthetic that resists “proper” contours.

“The cracks, the rope, the saw marks visible on the wood pieces — I wanted to bring all of these elements together to challenge the idea of a single ‘normal’ and explore layered hybridity,” he noted.

Installation view of "Irreverent Forms" at Gladstone Gallery Seoul / Courtesy of Gladstone Gallery

Kim Ju-ree’s “Evanescent Landscape” series centers on disappearance — a paradoxical theme for ceramics, which are traditionally made to endure.

The series here features houses typical of Korea’s industrial boom during the 1980s, sculpted from unfired clay that slowly dissolves as water is poured at their base. Their gradual transformation reflects the vanishing architectural landscapes of Seoul’s neighborhoods amid urban redevelopment.

“I began this work around 2008 in Hwigyeong-dong, Seoul,” she said. “At that time, my home and studio were about to be razed due to redevelopment under the Lee Myung-bak administration. I wanted to capture a kind of portrait of our era.”

“Irreverent Forms” runs through Jan. 3, 2026.