London

Jeongbin Lee

Ceramicist | Goheung-gun, South Korea

Craft therapy through cats and clay

Jeongbin blends Korean folk culture with emotional storytelling through his sculptures
The figures of his Guardian Spirit series are shaped as cats to reflect comfort
His first work was a bansanggi set made of white porcelain

Jeongbin Lee creates ceramic guardian-spirit figures inspired by the folktales of his city, Goheung in Jeollanamdo. While majoring in photography, he discovered ceramics by chance during a course reinterpreting Joseon white porcelain in a modern way. This experience marked Jeongbin's entry into the world of ceramics. Since then, he has continued to develop his artistic identity through graduate studies, ceramic research institutes and artist residencies in Korea and abroad. Jeongbin's signature Guardian Figure series symbolises protection and comfort for people living with anxiety. "My figures are shaped like cats to reflect the comfort I once received from a pet. I hope my works carry small prayers for well-being and warmth in today’s world," he says.

Interview

Why did you choose ceramics?: I loved clay from the first touch. The joy I feel while shaping it by hand truly makes me feel alive. It changes form while soft, and hardens when fired – a contrast that fascinates me.
What was your first work?: It was a bansanggi set made of white porcelain. It is a traditional Korean dining set consisting of a rice bowl, soup bowl and side dish bowls. Ceramics developed simultaneously with food culture, so I created a bansanggi set as my first piece to lay my foundation in the basics of ceramics.
Where do you find inspiration?: I mainly draw inspiration from Korean folktales, legends and traditional stories. In Jeollanamdo, the region where I currently live, there is a local legend about a household guardian-spirit called Eop-sin. My Guardian Figure series was inspired by that story.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: I believe tradition lives in spirit, not in a specific technique or material. Reinterpreting from my perspective transforms tradition into innovation. Simply put, innovation takes place when I express my own visions and thoughts through my work.

Jeongbin Lee is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2015