In addition to exhibiting in Made in Korea at The Ceramic House and Sladmore Contemporary, Kyung Won Baek has been selected to participate in The Ceramic House residency in May-June 2017, when she will be making work in collaboration with Jin Kim. They will be making site-specific work in response to the city of Stoke-on-Trent for British Ceramics Biennial. The work will be on display from 23rd September-3rd November.
Kyung Won Baek was born in 1987 in South Korea and studied ceramics at Seoul National University. She earned B.F.A in 2010 and M.F.A in 2013 from Seoul National University. She has undertaken residencies at Guldagergaard International Ceramic Research Center, Denmark in 2014 and at Gimhae Clayarch Museum, Korea in 2015. She explored wood firing during her residency in Guldagergaard, which profoundly influenced her work.
Since 2015, she has lived in Seoul, doing collaboration and commission works and participating in group exhibitions.
In 2017, Kyung Won Baek was nominated as a finalist of 2nd Open to Art, International Contemporary Art and Design Ceramics Competition promoted by Officine Saffi, the gallery specializing in Ceramics in Milan.
She says about her work,
“My works are vessel-sculptures using pinching and coiling techniques. Inspirations come mostly from architecture and mechanical devices. After drawing the designs, I start building coils on the slab. Mostly, I don’t know what the result will be before it is finished. It is more interesting to see the unexpected outcomes that occur. Making new forms with my hands is always amusing.
What I think about my work and how the viewers respond can sometimes clash. But I value this reaction and consider it very positive and productive, because it helps me get better ideas.”
