Won Yusun Korean, b. 1997
“Unbalance, for me, is the way to explore vessel and make sense of things around me.”
An award-winning emerging artist, Yusun Won founded her ceramic practice in Cardiff, UK where she completed an MA. She recently moved back to South Korea, to set up a studio in Seoul. Won has been developing innovative ways to approach ceramic making. She offers a new perspective on traditional Korean artefacts through unexpected reinterpretations that disrupt the conventional notions of utility in Korean ceramic tradition.
A series that sought to investigate unexpected spaces within her pieces, started from observing an 18th-century Joseon Dynasty vessel made by combining two different forms. Observing the joint, she wondered whether opening it might reveal a concealed space. Through the act of partitioning vessels, she segregates space into inner and outer dimensions and unlocks the potential for new, hidden forms to emerge.
Her delicate pieces are constructed with patient hand building from porcelain. Her vessels are left with the exterior unglazed to preserve the quality of the material, with the gentle fingerprints of the artist visible over the surface.
One day working in the studio, as she observed her artwork with her head tilted to one side, she started to create pieces that appeared straight from her altered perspective. She realised that there was no "correct" alignment; acceptability was subjective depending on individual viewpoints. Intrigued by the irony, she observed vessel forms from various angles and crafted unbalanced pieces. An array of forms, including round, sharp, unbalanced, straight, or partially omitted vessels, emerged as a result of her exploration of expanded space. These varied shapes harmonise in an elegant synergy.
Selected Awards
The finalist of BADA(British Antique Dealer Association) Art Award 2021, UK
The winner of Cheong-ju International Craft Competition 2019, South Korea
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Collect
Somerset House, London 28 Feb - 2 Mar 2025Lloyd Choi Gallery at Collect 2025 Lloyd Choi Gallery is proud to present a curated selection of works by seven exceptional Korean artists, each showcasing the rich heritage and innovative...Read more -
Guided by Nature
Collaboration with Cox London 7 - 17 Oct 2024A synergistic exhibition showcasing the finest South Korean craftmanship from Gallery Lloyd Choi, set against the backdrop of Cox London’s nature-inspired, sculptural collection of lighting, furniture, and objects. This partnership...Read more -
Hidden Gem
Cromwell Place, London 15 - 19 May 2024Often, beauty is discovered in the simplicity and serenity of small details. It exists in the nuances of craftsmanship and the precision of execution. ‘Hidden Gem’ presents Korean artists who...Read more -
Collect
Somerset House, London 1 - 3 Mar 2024At Collect 2024, Lloyd Choi Gallery presents ‘Understatement ’, a highly curated presentation of works by nine Korean craft practitioners to mark the 20th anniversary of the international art fair...Read more -
Lost in Tradition
Cromwell Place, London 19 - 24 Oct 2023'Lost in Tradition' features artists working with the traditional mediums of ceramics, metal, mother-of-pearl, textiles, wood, and antique furniture. Many are represented in internationally renowned museum collections, including maker of...Read more -
Untold Beauty
Cromwell Place, London 16 - 24 Sep 2023Untold Beauty draws on a distinctive period in Korean craftsmanship refined during the Joseon dynasty (est 14c). Presenting works by contemporary practitioners, it explores the current return to Joseon’s contemplative...Read more