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CCC. Céramique Contemporaine Coréenne

Maintaining amicable relationships between different cultures is aneminently worthwhile cause. Since September 2015, France and Korea have been celebrating the 130th anniversary of mutual diplomatic
relations, with numerous events taking place in both countries. And what better way to commemorate furthermore the recent twinning of the cities of Limoges and Icheon, itself a historic achievement, than by showcasing contemporary Korean ceramics at the Fondation Bernardaud in Limoges.

The exhibition features 14 of Korea’s leading contemporary artists, and 70 or so of their works. Most of these artists have achieved international status and many have studied abroad; they are therefore familiar with both Korean and international art. The exhibition’s aim is to portray Korean society and culture today by looking at contemporary Korean ceramics – its most representational art form – together with a selection of paintings, photographs, videos and installations that speak of these ceramics, each in their own way.

Like many of the exhibitions organised by the Fondation Bernardaud, this one ventures to explore contemporary ceramics from different angles. While all the works selected here reflect the long history and tradition of Korean ceramics, the exhibition looks beyond these to question contemporary aesthetics. China’s influence on Korean ceramics over the centuries was major. Drawing on some of its lessons, Korean ceramicists developed and perfected their own highly distinctive techniques such as their method of decorative inlay on jadegreen celadon ¹ ware (10th-12th centuries), or that of joining two large thrown bowls to form moon-shaped white porcelain ¹ jars (mid-17thmid-18th centuries), or even the short-lived Buncheong ¹ technique, with its lively surface decoration that conveys a sensibility that is easily understood by contemporary art thanks to its spontaneous brushstrokes and randomly incised patterns. Buncheong ware was greatly admired by Japanese tea masters of the 16th century and later by the British potter Bernard Leach, who was instrumental in its diffusion to UK and the USA.

Korean ceramics remained largely unknown to the West until the turn of the 20th century, and it was not until the 1990s that they began to achieve widespread international recognition. This period saw the rebirth of ceramics in Korea with major international events taking place across the country, leading to the creation of the Gyeonggi International Ceramics Biennale in 2001. “CCC. Contemporary Korean Ceramics” goes beyond traditional Korean aesthetics to present new ways of reflecting upon today’s global society, adapting and reinterpreting heritage as it moves toward the future. In Korea, modernity respects and embraces tradition.

The exhibition is curated by Hyeyoung CHO, internationally recognized for her work with contemporary Korean ceramics and crafts. She has worked on many exhibitions, notably “From the Fire: A Survey of Contemporary Korean Ceramics” (2004-2010 toured the USA), “Tradition Transformed: Contemporary Korean Ceramics” (2007-2011 toured Europe) and “Clay in Transcendence”, a special exhibition for the 46th General Assembly of the International Academy of Ceramics in Dublin, Ireland. She served as International Commissioner for the 2013 Gyeonggi International Ceramics Biennale and also as Art Director for the 2015 Cheongju International Craft Biennale.
Hyeyoung’s education, in Korea and the West, gives her a good understanding of both Eastern and Western cultures that has enabled her to find an aesthetic common to both.


The exhibited artists :

Sinyun CHO

Sekyun JU

Ikjoong KANG

Juree KIM

Bohnchang KOO

Kanghyo LEE

Seunghee LEE

Soyoung PARK

Daekyun SEO

Meekyung SHIN

Euijeong YOO

Sol YOON

Sangduk YU

Suyeon YUN


Practical information

Exhibition fom June 17th to November 5th 2016.

Fondation d’entreprise Bernardaud. 27, avenue Albert-Thomas, Limoges

Tél. : +33 (0)5 55 10 55 91

Opening hours

From June 1st to Sept. 30th:Guided tour including the exhibition, everyday, except Sunday, including national holidays

from 9.45 a.m. to 11.15 a.m., and from 1.30 p.m. to 4.15 p.m.

The rest of the year: by appointment only
Entry: 6 €
free for children under 12



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