The Outing of Jisan’s Tohheun
October 1 - 20, 2014
Gallery Korea
Opening Reception: Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 6-8PM
From October 1st to 20th, 2014, the ceramic exhibition, "The Outing of Jisan’s Tohheun" will be showing at the New York Cultural Service (Director Woo Sung Lee). In this exhibition, Jisan Jong-Neung Lee will be showing about 70 ceramics including the works of unique Tohheun, Jinsa, and Moon-shaped white porcelain, which was exhibit at British Museum in London in 2007. Artist Jisan hopes to build good relationship between Korean and American through ceramic pottery and also share the beauty of Korean ceramic with international audiences.
The word, Tohheun, as it is indicated in the title, represents Jisan’s unique world of a ceramic art. Specifically, Tohheun pursues the natural beauty in the simplicity of asymmetry, and the word also contains meanings such as trace of earth, the stream of times, and dearest prays. Although all the earth loses its own color at the high temperature (above 1250 celsius) and reborn freshly with the ceramic glaze, Tohheun, the new ceramic world, maintains the original color of natural earth even in the glazing fire.
Artist Jisan began his study about earth when he turned 22. From 1960 to 1963, he continued his study of earth by taking journey to Southeast Asian countries including Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Mongol, and the Silk Road. During this journey, he passionately researched about the different culture of Southern and Northern China.
Jisan Jong-Neung Lee started to receive international attention from 2002 when he was selected to show his work ceramic exhibition for Busan Asian Games. Furthermore, the World Cup promotion documentary film, “Departure for the East,” introduced Artist Jisan. In 2004, he presented secret of kiln, which he has designed, through the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)’s documentary shoe called ‘Ceramic.’ In addition, Artist Jisan received immense spotlight for his moon-shaped porcelain exhibition at the British Museum in 2007. After this exhibition, he presented another ceramic show in Osaka, and Osaka Museum has collected Jisan’s moon-shaped white porcelain. His works were also shown on Asahi Television.
Exhibition preview and opening reception of "The Outing of Jisan’s Tohheun" will be held on October 1st, 2014 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Korean Cultural Service New York (460 Park Avenue 6th Floor, New York, NY 10022).
[Artist Biography]
Jong-neung Lee (Jisan)
1958
Born in Gyeongju, Korea
1983 ~ 1985
Collected and studied clay, fragments of antique ceramics of Buncheong in the area of Mt. Jiri in Korea.
1989 ~ 1992
Explored the cultural flow of Southeast Asian countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Jeju Island in Korea. 1992 ~ 1993
Traveled around China and Mongolia by way of the Silk Road to learn about and search for the famous ceramic kilns, tea-producing districts and cultural trends of Northeast Asian countries.
2002. 02
Researched the famous ceramic kilns of the Nan Song Dynasty (1127~1279) in China, including Ming Yao, Jian Yao and Jizhou Yao in China. (Studied Clay, Fragments of antique ceramics and structure of kilns.).
Present
Holds membership in the Korea Traditional Tea Culture Association. (Member of The Committee of Ceramic Art)
[Selected Exhibitions and Shows]
1986
Appeared in a TV program commemorating Korea Liberation Day in the special documentary film "How can I forget my hometown?" by Korean Broadcasting System & NHK
1995. 11
The 1ˢᵗ Solo Exhibition At Lotte Hotel, Sokongdong, Seoul, Korea
1996. 05
Displayed ceramic works at the 4ᵗʰ International Tea Culture Seoul Exhibition. (Sejong Cultural Center, Seoul, Korea)
1996. 08
SBS 8.15 Special documentary film "The Secret of the Royal Capital" (Performed task of making the earthen-ware kiln of Koguryo Dynasty)
1997. 07
Succeeded in restoring prehistoric-age pottery (Neolithic Age and Bronze Age) in Korean Land Corporation Land Museum
1997. 10
St. Petersburg National Folk Museum in Russia collected his ceramic wares
1998. 10
Hangzhou National Tea Leaf Museum in China collected his "Ceramic Tea Sets"
2001. 01
Appeared in the 2002 World Cup public information documentary "Beginning from the East," produced by KBS and NHK
2001. 08
Participated in the documentary film production for the World Ceramic Expo (Buncheong Section)
2001. 12
2ⁿᵈ Solo Exhibition : Tohheun (Seoul Gallery/Press Center, Seoul, Korea)
2002. 09
3ʳᵈ Solo Exhibition, exclusively invited to present Jisan’s Ceramic Art Exhibition at the Culture Center in the Asian Games Athletes’ Village in Busan, Korea
2004. 10
Made specially-designed teaware of Tohheun for 23 CEOs of SIBAC (Bloomberg L.P., Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, Nomura Securities Co. Ltd, in Japan, Tsinghua University, Beijing, in China....)
2004. 05 ~ 2004. 10
Appeared and demonstrated how to make and fire ancient ceramics in a program about the history of ceramics of the great civilization; Korea, China, Egypt by KBS
2004. 11
4ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: 20 years of making ceramics (Seoul Gallery at Press Center, Seoul, Korea)
2007. 09
Special Exhibition at The British Museum : Moon-shaped White Porcelain Jar
2008. 06
5ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: Revolution of Earth, (Insa Art Center, Seoul, Korea)
2008. 11
6ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: ‘Outing to Tea land’ in DEBEC PLAZA GALLERY, Daegu, in November, 2008
2010. 11
7ᵗʰ solo exhibition at gallery "Mi" of Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo, Japan Jisan Lee Jong-neung’s Art Ceramics Exhibition - Tohheun "Outing"
2011. 04
8ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition at Gallery 'Mirine' of the Korean Cultural Center in Osaka, Japan
2011. 05
'Moon-shaped Jar,' a white porcelain jar, was housed in Osaka Museum of History in Japan
2012. 05
9ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition (Jeju Culture & Art Center)
2013. 05
10ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition at the art gallery of the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles
2014. 04
11ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition, Jisan’s Exhibition, invited by KBS Jeju Broadcasting Station to commemorate the completion of the new hall
2014.10
12th Solo Exhibition, Jisan’s Exhibition at the gallery korea of the Korean Cultural Service, New York