Work of Shin Sang-ho, the Ceramist

The main trend of ceramics in Korea today can be divided into three types ; the traditional porcelaneous wares which have been transmitted from Koryo and Choson dynasties; the creative ceramics to be produced with today's aesthetic senses; the creative ceramics in modern style which based on the tradition.

To begin with, the execution of traditional porcelains aim at the imitation and revival of Blue or White Pocelains in Korean history of art, so that the productions have distinct nationality, as the result of the character, they are popular to may foreigners.

While they are little concerned themselves with mordern style, we can say them art in a strict sense.

Secondly, the just creative ceramics both are produced out of the necessity of modern life and resist the tradition. Even if they have a reasonable meaning as far as of the exotic shapes due to the loss of their own root, we can hardly expect them to be found out the aesthetic value. Finally, it seems that the third attitude, which are mixed the original creation with the traditional background, is the most desirable way to work among three types.

Shin, Sang-ho, the ceramist who acquired the elementary knowledge no ceramics at Hong-Ik University and continued to study the theories at graduate school, founded his own pottery kiln, and there he has made much experiment over and over again. He identifies creation with tradition such as the third attitude above mentioned, and the idea is the base of his original style. His works consist largely in blue and white porcelains. His solid sensitivity on ceramic forms is reflected in the various shapes of porcelains.

Not to speak of it resulted from the necessity of faculties in human life.

Another element of which characterize his works is the beauty of underglazed color. In blue or white porcelains, it possesses such a beauty of glaze as closely possible to the traditional heritage of the past. Accordingly his works which are created from the thorough studied and analyses on the tradition of Korean ceramics exist not only as a instrument in our changing life, but also as a work of art to beautify the sorroundings

in which the porcelains are placed. Good ceramics are not made by random chance or with artificial intention, but come into being from the life itself in necessity, therefore the works of Shin, Sang-ho may be evolved into much higher level according to his attitude and good sense of direction as to art.

It is Shin, Sang-ho who the people concerned in ceramic field in Korea have high expectation on his future.

April 7th, 1984

Lee, Kyung-sung

Art critic & Former Director

of the National Museum of Korea