Shin Sang-ho

This biography of a living person includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Shin Sang-Ho (Korean: 신상호; Hanja: 申相浩; born 1947) is an internationally known Korean ceramicist. His works can be found in museums around the world especially the Shin Sang-ho Art Museum. He is the former Dean, College of Fine Arts at Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea,^[1] and former Director of the Clayarch Gimhae Museum.

Career[edit]

Shin Sang-ho was born in an area historically known as Yangju, and now known as Banghak-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, South Korea. He became interested in ceramics when he was attending classes at Hongik University's Department of Crafts. Rather than going home during a school break, he went to a pottery in Icheon. His parents finally found him there a month later covered in clay and wearing nothing but a shirt.^[2]

After graduating from Hongik University in Seoul, Shin began his career by recreating traditional blue-green celadon as well as buncheong. Shin credits this foundation as the basis of his movement into modern ceramics. “I came to modern times through traditional ceramics."^[2]

Starting in 1965 he began submitting his works to both the Korean Commerce and Industry Art Exhibition and Korean Industrial Artists Association Exhibition. He took a bronze medal in 1968.

By at least 1972, Shin was operating his own pottery in Icheon, where he employed and trained other ceramists including Kim Se-yong.^[3]

1973 solo exhibitions in Japan including Tokyo, Osaka, Sendai, Yamagata, and Mitsukoshi Department Store where he received an award from the Culture and Information Commissioner. Three-person exhibition in Hamburg Germany.

In the 1970's, Shin began working at a pottery in Fukuoka, Japan after he ran out of money during a trip to the country.^[2] The pottery utilized a natural gas fired kiln. This was novel to Shin. Back in Icheon all kilns were laboriously wood fired. Further, potters believed it was the only way to achieve a rich celadon color. To convince himself that celadon wares could be successfully produced within a gas fired kiln, Shin ran some tests in the Japanese pottery. The results were so successful that Shin used the money made in Japan along with additional borrowed funds to purchase a gas fired kiln and shipped it to South Korea.^[2]

Shin was expecting a 95% successful firing rate with new his gas kiln, instead of the low successful rate found when utilizing wood firing. However, his initial firings failed to achieve the same celadon color he obtained in Japan. He “tried to commit suicide at that time.”^[2] Eventually, he traced the problem to South Korea's natural gas supply. It was not clean enough. He learned to cleanout the nozzles after every firing and installed his own desulphurization system to remove hydrogen sulfide. Shin's success caught the attention of other potteries who hired away his employees in order to learn his methods.^[2]

In 1974, he was invited to join 3 other Korean potters in a four person exhibition held at Mitsuha.

In 1978 he received the Chairman's award at Korea's National Folk Art Competition.

In 1979 exhibitions in New York and Washington DC

In 1979 Shin began to 'spy' on the behalf of the South Korean government.^[2] This came about when ceramics was selected as 1 of the 10 strategic industries to promote the expansion of trade with other countries. Shin became part of a strategic industry inspection team that traveled internationally to learn how other countries were making ceramic items and bring that technology back to South Korea.

In 1980 exhibitions Boston, University of Southern California, U.C.L.A., and Shinjuku Japan

In 1981 works included in the Korean Contemporary Ceramic Exhibition (New York, Los Angeles, Paris)

In 1982 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Department Store exhibition in Japan

In 1980's continued experimentation and developing his own particular style of celadon and buncheong ware. He also became a lecturer in the Applied Art Department of Sungshin Women's University and began working as a Professor of Ceramic Art, College of Fine Arts, Hongik University.^[4] This position eventually led to him becoming Dean of the College of Fine Arts.^[5]

In 1981, South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan traveled to Washington DC to meet President Ronald Reagan for a summit meeting.^[6] He brought a moon jar vase made by Shin who was described as being "a leading Korean ceramist".^[2][7] At the July 1981 wedding of Charles III and Diana, the best wishes of the people of South Korea were conveyed to the couple in the form of a vase by Shin. One news account described Shin's vase as were among the top five wedding gifts received from various countries.^[2]

Also in 1981, South Korea was actively trying to counter the influence North Korea established during the 1970's in Africa.^[8] South Korea's ambassador to Zaire, Lee Jong-eop, noticed that under the reign of autocratic leader Mobutu Sese Seko, art and culture was given full attention as a part of Zairianisation.^[9] Lee came up with the idea of sending an artist from South Korea to meet Mobutu. Which is how Shin Sang-ho eventually found himself in Zaire in front of Mobuto to present him with a 60 cm tall, celadon, openwork vase as a gift.^[2] The visit was Shin's first of many visits to Africa.

In 1986 then Korean President Chun Doo-hwan and his wife presented Queen Elizabeth II two of Shin's vases. See External Links below.

After a brief sojourn in London as a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Art (1995–1997) he began to switch gears. He returned to Korea with an abruptly different style that fused Western and Eastern design. The "Dream" series (1995) was one of his first exhibits to gain international recognition.^[10] This series features traditional Asian vessel shapes and buncheong glazes decorated with abstract patterns reminiscent of Asian calligraphy or ink wash paintings.

In 2002, “The Dream of Africa” series, that sculpturally depicts animals using bold colors and patterns, was inspired by his trips to Africa and passion for African indigenous art.^[11] A subset of this series, featuring goat heads, was further developed into its own series called "Totem". The heads were elevated on slab formed totem like towers. The "Head" series, featuring very large busts of African indigenous people, does not yet appear to have been shown to the public except in Shin's own museum.

In the 1990s Shin began developing "fired painting" tiles used as a means to apply ceramic arts to commercial architecture. In 2000, a particularly large installation he created was installed within the overhead covered walkway connecting the Seoul JW Marriott Hotel and the Seoul Central City Express Bus Terminal. Additional buildings that selected Shin's fired painting tiles to be incorporated into their facades include: Future City (Yonhap Media Center); Green Cross Yongin Building; The Classic 500 Building at Konkuk University; and Samsung Town (Seocho Building).^[4]

In 2022 the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art presented an exhibition titled "Prayer for Life: Special Exhibition of Korean Polychrome Painting" that featured Shin's "Totem" series.^[12] In 2023, the exhibition moved to San Diego.

In 2023, Shin's "Tree of Life" series and "Book of Revelation" series, that continue his interested in mainly two dimensional ceramics featuring texture and color, were scheduled for their first public display in London.^[11]

Clayarch Gimhae Museum[edit]

The name of the Clayarch Gimhae Museum (클레이아크김해미술관) comes from the two words clay and architecture. It is believed to be the world's first museum dedicated to architectural ceramics like fired roof tiles, bricks, bathtubs, and sinks.^[13] It opened on March 24, 2006 with Shin Sang-ho serving as Artistic Director.^[14][15] I The 4,400 fired painting tiles by Shin Sang-ho are 48 cm square (19 inches) were handcrafted at Bugok Pottery.^[16] The vibrant colors are intended to express the symbolic patterns of primitive art and embody the ideology of the museum. To permanently cast the colors, the tiles had to be fired 4 to 5 times at 1,250 Degrees C (2,282 Degrees F). The tiles are not permanently affixed to the building. Instead, they are supported on an aluminum frame and can be rearranged changing the future appearance of the building. Shin's work has been well received with many news accounts describing his achievement as helping to convert an entire building into a work of art.^[16]

In 2020, the museum's design was awarded with a gold medal in Asia's largest design contest. Of the 2,340 designs from 38 countries, only 70 designs received this highest honor.^[17]

Style[edit]

Shin Sang-ho's style has evolved over his long career. This, may in part be owing to his philosophy of not recreating anything he has already made.^[18] When he was working in Icheon, his earliest works were similar to traditional inlayed celadon Goryeo ware called sanggam. As his skill level increased, he began creating more intricate celadon openwork and at least a few double-openwork pieces. This style of Shin's

Unlike contemporary ceramist Master Kim Se-yong's, who started his career at roughly the same time and still makes only celadon wares to this day, Shin began producing a large amount of buncheong wares similar to wares produced in the Joeson Period. These works are characterized by his use of simple shapes and earthy colors, which give his pieces a sense of natural beauty and serenity.^[19] This style shift was likely in response to Japanese demand for traditional Japanese tea ware they call mishima. Around this period he also began producing a style of pottery that was mostly similar to Joeson white porcelain. These works appear to have mostly sold into the Korean market. The vase presented to Ronald Reagan in 1981 was made in this style.

Next, Shin's style turned towards more refined porcelains featuring pure white clays fired fired in a gas kiln. Simple items, like bowls and teapots, may have been made when working in Japan. His white porcelain openwork pieces, especially his 1986 double-work piece featuring sanggam style inlays,^[20] appear to have been made when he was back in South Korea. The other white porcelain, openwork piece presented to Queen Elizabeth in 1986 is quite similar to many of his celadon openwork.^[21] Therefore, it seems likely that during this period Shin was using the same base clay and then selecting the overglaze depending upon the intended recipient.

Up until this point, with the exception of his pure white porcelains supplied into the Japanese market, there were at least some elements of traditional Korean style to be found in his works. One critic wrote he 'epitomized the uniquely Korean aesthetic sensibilities, with free-flowing and generous forms in order to instill a contemporary touch.'^[22] Shin's departure from Korean sensibilities to becoming a ‘problematic figure’ in the Korean ceramics world has been traced to 1984 when he began teaching at the University of Connecticut.^[2] He met ceramists who produced 'modern art'.

In 1988, to advantage of the draw created by the Seoul Summer Olympics to host a one-week workshop in his personal art studio. Prominent ceramists from around the word attended bringing with them new techniques that have helped make Shin and fellow Korean potters better known in the rest of the world.^[2] In the late 1990's, after teaching in London and learning about the artistic values of African indigenous art he returned with an artistic style which was distinctly African in origin that lasted for several years.

However, that wasn't the final transformation of Shin's style. Shin kept evolving to the point that his style can only be described as uniquely his own. It is this fact that has made him recognized around the world. In Tatsuo Matsuyama's book, Portrait of a Modern Ceramic Artist, Shin was listed as one of the 66 most influential ceramists who shaped modern ceramics.^[23]

Personal life[edit]

Shin Sang-ho is married to Han Yun-sook who made her own line of pottery from porcelain.^[18] The couple raised two daughters, both of whom continue the family association with art.^[15] Shin an avid collector. A large exhibition in London of African art was particularly influential. He was so enchanted by the original vitality of the works that he almost lived in the exhibition hall. Since then, he has frequently traveled to Africa. His home is filled with hundreds of artifacts collected from Africa.^[15] In 2022 Shin reported he was in talks with Yangju City to donate his extensive collection of personal art as well as collected art.^[2]

Shin is the chairman of Camp Red Cloud Design Cluster Creation Working Group. The group is working to utilize the property and buildings that were transferred from the United States Forces Korea to the government of South Korea. Shin's goal is to convert the property into a multi-use cultural space for galleries, artist residences, a school for design and art, and area to host art fairs.^[11][24]  

Signature[edit]

When working in celadon, Shin typically signed his works by first engraving his stylized signature in thin clear lines and curves. The engraved area was then filled in with a darker clay before firing. When working in buncheong, Shin typically signed his works with a wider deep engraving that was left unfilled. Many buncheong works are signed near the foot instead of the bottom.

Selected collections[edit]

Shin's work is in the permanent collections of:

• The National Museum of Contemporary Art (South Korea)
• Museum of Korea University in Seoul (South Korea)
• Museum of Hong-Ik University in Seoul (South Korea)
• Ho-Am Art Museum in Yong-in (South Korea)
• World Ceramic Exposition Foundation, Icheon World Ceramic Center, Gyeonggi (South Korea)
• Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu (Japan)
• Everson Museum in Syracuse (United States)^[25]
• Victoria and Albert Museum in London (United Kingdom)
• The British Museum in London (Britain)
• Royal Ontario Museum in Ontario (Canada)
• Royal Museum of Mariemont in Brussels (Belgium)
• Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland (United States)
• Seattle Art Museum (United States)
• Sèvres - Cité de la céramique (national ceramics museum in Sèvres, France)
• Royal Collection Trust (Collection of Queen Elizabeth II, UK)
• Higgin Kim, Chairman Byuksan Engineering and Construction Company^[26][27]
• LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, New York (United States)^[28]
• Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene, Oregon (United States) ^[29]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Shin Sang-ho Art Museum, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Vase 1 of 2 presented to Queen Elizabeth by South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan in 1986
• Vase 2 of 2 presented to Queen Elizabeth by South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan in 1986
• Dream of Africa exhibition held 2004
• Cleveland Museum of Art: Dream Jar 1994
• Summary of exhibitions
• YouTube Video: Dream of Africa Exhibition 2024