Lee Jungsuk South Korean, b. 1970
Lee Jungsuk is a Korean ceramic artist and educator whose practice bridges material inquiry, tradition, and contemporary sculpture. Dividing his time between the city and the countryside, Lee teaches ceramic art at Seoul National University of Science and Technology while continuing his experimental studio practice outside Seoul, close to nature.
Working primarily with blue and white pottery, one of the most revered traditions in ceramic history, Lee deliberately disrupts inherited conventions. Rather than relying on fire to define form, he reintroduces water to deconstruct the making process itself. Surfaces are softened and partially dissolved, allowing material and process to remain visible. Blue label stickers, typically used to mark works for disposal, are repurposed as framing devices that reference traditional painting, subtly signalling that these works are not historical artefacts. Through this deliberate erosion, softened cobalt traces recall the surfaces of excavated objects, blurring the boundary between contemporary work and historical relic.
His Fragile series celebrates vulnerability and the emotional sensitivity often associated with historical objects, recreating a sense of age in order to question how value is constructed. The works appear unearthed rather than newly made, inviting reflection on whether meaning resides in the object itself or in the histories we project onto it. Guided by material sensitivity and process, Lee’s practice moves beyond function toward sculpture, gently unsettling inherited traditions while expanding the language of Korean ceramics.
Lee Jungsuk has been widely recognised for his contribution to contemporary ceramics. He has received major international awards, including the Gold Award at the International Ceramics Competition Mino in Japan, alongside multiple honours at the World Ceramic Biennale in South Korea. His work has been presented in leading international exhibitions and biennales, including the Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale and the Cheongju Craft Biennale. Through both his artistic practice and academic role, Lee continues to influence a new generation of artists, advancing contemporary ceramic discourse while sustaining a deep engagement with material, process, and history
