Tranquil pond, jar
2019
Medium
stoneware (buncheong ware)
Measurements
(48.0 × 32.0 × 20.0 cm)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Laurence O’Keefe and Christopher James, 2020
© Choi Sung-jae
Gallery location
Level 1, NGV International
About this work
Korea’s long history of ceramic production and minimal aesthetic traditions continue to influence contemporary ceramic artists. Choi Sung-jae draws on the traditions of Korean buncheong ware, where white slip was applied to grey clay then incised designs were added, to create powerful, functional objects. Choi coated the surface of this large slabconstructed jar with a silica-rich white slip then, like a Zen brush and ink painter, masterfully executed a frenzy of markmaking using wooden sticks, a frayed rope, bamboo knives and his fingers. The scene captured in this spontaneous expressive process transports us to a tranquil place of gradually swaying branches, water reeds and ducks.