Cho Chung-hyon, earthenware vessel

Korea, AD 1994

Cho Chung-hyon (born 1940) is professor of ceramics at Ewha Women's University in Seoul and works mainly in earthenware. She is one of a group of potters that first emerged from around 1960 in Korean universities where ceramics became established as a recognized subject in the art schools. As students graduated and also studied abroad, new ideas began to emerge, combined with a revived appreciation of Korea's great ceramic tradition.

This tall sculptural vessel has carved, incised and stamped decoration. It recalls stoneware of the Three Kingdoms period (fifth-sixth century AD) and Korean tomb wares, as well as later domestic storage jars (onggi). Cho Chung-hyon has transformed traditional forms and created a completely original work.

J. Portal, Korea - art and archaeology (London, The British Museum Press, 2000)