Lee Kang-Hyo
March 8, 2017
Jose Melchor
While looking for inspiration I ran into a nice web page from the San Francisco Museum. It was an article about an old exhibition featuring Korean artists. To my surprise one of the Artist was Lee Kang-Hyo, someone I really admire. I first knew about this guy from a youtube video . I like his take in life and pottery.
The work of an artist reflects his or her life. The temperament of a person is influenced by one’s natural environment. When one travels, mountains like the folds of a screen endlessly stretch, enabling one to be in awe of the essence of nature. The constant theme in my work is based on this marvel of nature. Everything that exists has its own reason and beauty. Molding clay with my hands and then painting white slip over the surface is an expression of my dream and my existence at that moment. Finding life’s meaning is a task that is too vast and confusing. It is a struggle and confliction to find the inner self. Life is not that exceptional nor does it contain some great meaning. Yet existence itself is precious and beautiful. Making art is like escaping to find peace of mind.
On the throwing wheel, a concentric circle is made, and then numerous different circular shapes are created. Through this clay, a space and a mass are created. This space contains my life. It is I. There is joy in taking a deep breath and viewing mountains; life is definitely worthwhile just for the fact that I am able to see and exist. I take joy in making things that can be looked at and appreciated. My work is an expression of everything that exists. It is my life itself.
Lee Kang Hyo (b. 1961 in Incheon, Korea)
A Wind Flower2012