The world of ceramic art is beautifully complex, and Haejin Lee’s sculptures are a testament to this intricate craft. Her works, which appear to be unraveling ribbons of clay, evoke a sense of time slipping away, reminding us to cherish the present. With each sculpture, Lee challenges our perceptions of form and stability, creating pieces that seem to defy gravity and expectation.
The delicate process she employs in sculpting these surreal figures is a dance between control and chaos, where the final product is both a celebration of the medium and a commentary on the human condition. Her art is not just a visual experience but an invitation to ponder the ephemeral nature of life and the beauty that can be found in its transience.
I like to decompose a finished shape and then reassemble the parts into a different presentation. (…) Decomposing a well made shape gives me sense of freedom. Free from an expected image. It gives me the motivation to start another piece after another. Cutting down a sculpture I spent hours on and taking into parts is such a nerve wrecking experience, but also gives me a spine tingling sensation. Rebuilding to the imagined composition, firing to achieve the right textures and colours; every step, every process takes a certain amount of risks and challenges. And without a good knowledge in Clay, rebuilding in different compositions just can not be done especially when pieces are cut down to thin strips. Understanding chemical reactions of the clay in different degrees of high firing is also a must.
Haejin Lee
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