SUNG JAE CHOI

Represented by Pucker Gallery since 2004

BORN: 1962 in Korea
RESIDES: Puyo, Korea

Most Recent Exhibition:
Timeless Beauty: Korean Ceramics by Sung Jae Choi
10 May to 9 June 2008

Sung Jae Choi makes vessels in the Korean tradition of punchong ware (late 14th to late 16th century), and his works are a powerful evocation of Korean aesthetics. Most conspicuously, his works demonstrate the lack of ostentation and liberal painting quality of pieces from this era. Sung Jae Choi believes that the beauty of ceramics arises naturally in the process of dealing with the materials of clay and fire. When the surface of his pots has adequately dried, he applies white slip and deftly paints an image reminiscent of traditional ink and water painting. He employs twigs, bamboo shoots, millet stalks, or even his own fingers as a brush. His simple forms are the ideal canvas for his bold, natural and expressive paintings in clay.

A member of the International Academy of Ceramics, Sung Jae Choi studied ceramics at Hongik University and its Graduate School. He is currently a professor at the Korean National University of Cultural Heritage. His works are included in the collection lists of many prestigious domestic and overseas art museums and galleries including recently the Tikotin Museum (Israel), Victoria and Albert Museum (England), Art Institute of Chicago (Illinois), Newark Museum (New Jersey), and the Worcester Art Museum, (Massachusetts).

Meditational Forms, an exhibition of works by Sung Jae Choi, opened in January of 2006. This was a wonderful opportunity to introduce Sung Jae's traditional yet contemporary punchong forms and techniques to our community. Following the opening of his exhibition, Sung Jae taught an honorary semester at Alfred University in New York before returning to Korea.

Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Rectangular Vase, 2005
stoneware
10 ½ x 6 ¼ x 4 ¾"
SC46
SC46 Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Water Dropper, 2006
Turtle-shaped
stoneware
3 ¼ x 5 x 3 ½"
SC144
SC144
Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Bottle, 2006
stoneware
11 ½ x 6 ¾ x 6 ¾"
SC141
SC141 Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Vase, 2005
stoneware
8 ¼ x 9 x 9"
SC94
SC94
Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Flattened Bottle, 2005
stoneware
11 ¼ x 10 ½ x 8 ¾"
SC92
SC92 Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Rectangular Bottle, 2007
stoneware
6 ¾ x 10 ¼ x 4 ¾"
SC174
SC174
Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Rectangular Vase, 2005
stoneware
10 ½ x 4 ¾ x 4 ¾"
SC43
SC43 Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Rectangular Vase, 2005
stoneware
12 x 14 ½ x 6 ½"
SC53
SC53
Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Vase, 2005
stoneware
10 x 9 x 9"
SC87
SC87 Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Flattened Bottle, 2005
stoneware
10 ½ x 11 x 9 ½"
SC90
SC90
Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Bottle, 2007
stoneware
10 ¾ x 6 ¼ x 6 ¼"
SC195
SC195 Choi Sung-Jae
Punchong Rectangular Jar, 2007
stoneware
13 x 11 x 6"
SC153
SC153