The Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) is delighted to present Icheon and Beyond: The Space Within Form, an exhibition exploring the philosophical and material foundations of Korean ceramics through the city of Icheon, a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. Bringing together master ceramic artisans and contemporary practitioners, the exhibition reflects on how clay continues to embody memory, discipline, and imagination within its seemingly modest form.
At the heart of the exhibition lies a simple yet profound idea: the true purpose of a vessel resides not in its outer contour, but in the empty space it holds. Emptiness is understood not as absence, but as potential — a space for use, breath, and relation. In this sense, ceramics is not merely about shaping matter; it is about shaping space itself.
Each work emerges through a series of careful decisions, from forming and trimming to glazing and firing. Clay responds to touch; fire transforms surfaces in ways that can never be entirely predicted. Even the most experienced master must negotiate uncertainty in the kiln. It is within this meeting of control and unpredictability that ceramics reveals its distinctive character — disciplined yet open, precise yet responsive.
The participating artists span generations and approaches. Some are rooted in established lineages of porcelain and buncheong ware, emphasizing refined forms and subtle tonal surfaces. Others approach clay through sculptural or experimental frameworks, testing proportion, structure, and the boundary between vessel and sculpture. Despite their differences, they share a deep respect for material integrity, process, and restraint. Together, their works demonstrate how Korean ceramics continues to evolve while remaining grounded in accumulated knowledge.
Located just southeast of Seoul, Icheon has cultivated a culture of making shaped by repetition, transmission, and expertise. Hundreds of working kilns and studios sustain a dynamic ecology where masters and emerging practitioners work side by side. Here, tradition is not preserved as static heritage but continually renewed through practice. The city’s recognition as a UNESCO Creative City acknowledges both its historical significance and its ongoing vitality.
By presenting Icheon within London’s craft context, the exhibition opens a dialogue between Korean and British traditions, both of which value skilled labour, material honesty, and thoughtful engagement with process. Rather than focusing solely on finished objects, The Space Within Form invites visitors to reflect on the labour embedded within them — the patience, judgment, and sensitivity required to transform earth and fire into lasting form.
Through these works, ceramics is presented as a living practice connecting past and present, craftsmanship and creativity, function and beauty. Form may be visible, but what ultimately defines each piece is the accumulation of invisible decisions. The exhibition encourages audiences to look beyond surface appearance and to see making itself as a way of thinking.
“In ceramics, form is visible, but what truly defines the work is the accumulation of decisions such as the invisible conditions of judgment, experience, and restraint. This exhibition invites audiences to look beyond the surface and see making itself as a way of thinking.”
Jaemin Cha, Curator, Korean Cultural Centre UK
