Modern White Porcelain by Choi Ji-man

Baekja, or white porcelain began to see rapid development following the establishment of royal kilns to produce porcelains exclusively for the royal palaces and government offices in the 15th century, during the early part of the Joseon Dynasty. While the Goryeo Dynasty could be described as the age of cheongja, or celadon, the Joseon Dynasty was that of baekja, or white porcelain. The exceptional development of baekja can be attributed to people’s yearning for white porcelain, the systematic establishment and operation of the royal kilns, and the development of superior porcelain-making skills. Some of the finest Joseon baekja were produced at the royal kilns in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, where various porcelains were manufactured, varying in forms and characteristics according to their intended use and production period. In the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, blue-and-white porcelain began to be produced using cobalt blue pigment to paint images on the surfaces of biscuit-fired white porcelain. The production process reflects the painting style of the late Joseon period, which emphasizes pictorial elements against white porcelain backgrounds.

Choi Jiman, one of Korea’s leading contemporary ceramic artist, has recently turned his focus to white porcelain and blue-and-white porcelain. His studio is located in Gwangju, where white porcelain has been produced for hundreds of years. But Choi does not aim to simply reproduce the pottery of Joseon. Rather, for him pottery making is a meaningful process of realizing the truth while striving toward the essence of life and the universe through the medium of art.

In the process of kneading and molding clay into form, the potter’s personality and life are revealed. Facing countless failures in the process of making and firing pottery, the potter is required to practice patience and contemplation.

Joseon Dynasty white porcelain has little to do with flamboyance, sophistication or magnificence. Though bright, almost transparent, white pottery may not attract our attention in the same way as a potter working on it in white clothing, it does have its own distinct presence. Baekja is the result of the potter’s spirit and work that are fully dedicated to the fundamentals.

This exhibition displays artworks reflecting the aesthetic sense of Joseon Dynasty white porcelain in particular, including sabal (bowls), hap (coverd bowls), wongtong (cylindrical containers), yeonjeok (water droppers) and jegi (utensils for ancestral rites). Even in the ever-changing stream of a society, baekja has retained its basic shape and reflects the restrained aesthetic sense and dignity of the Joseon sadaebu who wished to place nature and the universe inside the room.

It also presents Choi’s pottery, which blends harmoniously with the colors of traditional Korean wooden furniture while contrasting with the latter’s form. Deeply embedded in his artwork are beautiful Korean sentiments in white and blue.