ABOUT

     For my AP portfolio, I have been exploring how to portray heavy emotions and experiences in an unconventional way. I started my sustained investigation focusing primarily on the distortion of memory, but it was too narrow of a subject. I dug further into the idea of the past and how to represent it through my work. I decided to work off of my own emotions and experiences, especially more complicated aspects like being half-Korean and struggling with mental illness. I have been experimenting with various underglazes dipped into high-fire glazes as well as with molding the clay itself. Every piece has an aspect of imperfection. I made several teapots with pieces that do not fit together in size, color, and more. As well as making them unique, I have altered pieces to make them traditionally flawed. Some were thrown on the ground, others broken by hand, punctured, sliced, and more. I want to represent a larger feeling of not fitting in or that something is missing. 

     I primarily studied Yeonsoo Kim and Eun-ha Paek. When searching for inspiration, I wanted to exclusively look at Korean artists because of an art exhibit I saw at the LACMA. It was solely focused on Korean work, and I was so overwhelmed by it that I wanted to keep looking at Korean artists. I used Kim and Paek as inspiration because they create more abstract work. They both decorate their work very oddly in a way that is unique to them, and I tried to recreate that by constantly experimenting with glazes. The collection “Listening 2021” from Yeonsoo Kim influenced my works “Patchwork” and “The Hermit”, and Eun-ha Paek’s “Reclining Dude Mugs” and “Plate” inspired the three teapots I made as well as “Wobbly”.