IN(OUT)SIDE: Resident Artist Exhibition by David Kwak
EXHIBITION STATEMENT
My vessels are intrinsically connected to the world that exists in my memories. The surface contains the landscapes I have envisioned, inspired by brief moments. Surfaces ranging from simple geometric surfaces to intricate traditional Goryeo Celadon motifs form my desired visual and tactile textures. My existence between the general and ceramic cultures of Korea and America is my primary source of questions and dilemmas that I present through the hybridization of traditional form and the dynamic surface. Using traditional form allows me to create a canvas to blend traditional imagery with Western glazes to create a familiar landscape that contains the same questions of belonging as a Korean American.
This exhibition is heavily influenced by my love of Goryeo Celadon and Western soda firings. I based the shape of my cups on an Onggi jar, which is used to ferment and age kimchi, Korean chili paste (Gochujang), Korean mung bean paste (Doenjang), soy sauce, and many other food items. The inside of the Onggi contains food, while the outside of the pot’s surface contains the atmosphere of the environment around the jar. Although the outside of the jar might change depending on where it is, the contents will continue fermenting and aging until the time is right to enjoy the food that it contains. Much like how we have a persona for the public, our environment changes how we act and react. But when we return to our home, what we eat in comfort and for pleasure makes us who we are. It is the contrast between what we project outside and what we keep inside that makes us complex and unique.
