Sanghyun Yoon
Ceramicist
Seoul, South Korea
Recommended by Jaeyoung Kang
To the milky way, in clay
- Sanghyun's approach to ceramics focuses on repetition and exploration
- He evokes celestial notions on large-scale vessels through glaze, fire and time
- His practice creates moments of stillness within Seoul's urban life
Sanghyun Yoon's ceramic practice is an expression of human time and cosmic imagery. His serious engagement with ceramics began during his university studies, yet his learning extended beyond formal instruction. Sanghyun developed his skills by visiting and observing senior artists, often travelling long distances to studios in remote regions. "I was impressed by how differently each artist approached their work,” he says. “I witnessed a devotion to the process through habits of hands shaping the clay and managing the kiln." These experiences became the foundation of the work he creates today. To Sanghyun, creating form is not merely a technical act, but a sensibility developed through repetition and accumulation. “Clay is a simple and elemental material, but because it allows time, nature and the human touch to be expressed together, it ultimately becomes a work of art,” he explains.
INTERVIEW
My work often focuses on relatively large ceramic forms. I am interested in creating sculptural tension through balance and subtle asymmetry in shape, while expressing cosmic imagery on the surface.
The idea emerged naturally through the working process itself. The flowing traces of glaze inside the kiln reminded me of the universe coming into being. I sought to express the Milky Way through the organic interaction of fire, glaze and time.
I see my work as an exploration of the relationship between form and irregularity in ceramic sculpture. By incorporating images such as the Milky Way on the surface, I aim to create moments where different senses of time and space meet within a single form.
In Seoul's fast-paced environment, working with clay, a slow and elemental material, has a special meaning to me. Within the complex rhythm of urban life, my work becomes a space for pause and reflection.
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