Kim Se-yong (ceramist)

Kim studied civil engineering at Gyeonggi Technical High School. He became interested in ceramics during a school field trip to the National Museum of Korea.{{Cite web |last=Choi |first=Seung-hyeon |title=無心으로 지핀 불가마에서 만다라를 굽다 :: 주간불교 Burning a mandala in a fire kiln made with no intention. |url=https://m.bulgyonews.co.kr/news/15500 |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=m.bulgyonews.co.kr}}

In 1966, Kim began working at a pottery in Icheon. At that time, Icheon had about 100 potters working in 7 to 8 potteries.{{Cite web |last=Hong |first=Chang-shin |title=청자에 혼을 심는 도공 A potter who puts his soul into celadon |url=https://v.daum.net/v/M0JtgENFlD |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=언론사 뷰}} The pottery he joined specialized in Goryeo ware celadon.{{Cite web |last=Monthly Restaurant (월간식당) |title=Korea's master craftsman Se-chang Kim Se-yong |url=https://post.naver.com/viewer/postView.nhn?volumeNo=12336267&memberNo=36529745 |website=Naver}}

Within a year of starting work in Icheon, he became head of the pottery sculpture room.

Kim's was called into military service for South Korea during the Vietnam war. He returned to Icheon in 1972 joining a pottery owned by Shin Sang-ho. He also trained under celadon ceramist Namgok Ko Seung-su (b. 1913).{{Cite web |last=JoongAng |first=Ilbo |date=1974-02-27 |title=Namgok Celadon Exhibition 남곡 청자전 |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/1370311 |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=중앙일보 |language=ko}}

In 1978, he became independent, and built his own kiln. In 1979, he established the Sechang Ceramic Research Institute.{{Cite web |last=Seong |first=Chang-hee |title=Sechang master Kim Se-yong, life and soul captured in celadon for 50 years... Ceramic art blooms [명장을 찾아서] 세창 김세용 명장, 50년 청자에 담은 삶과 혼...도자예술 꽃 피우다:동아경제 |url=https://www.daenews.co.kr/9528 |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=www.daenews.co.kr}} It was an auspicious time. The years from the late 1970's through mid 1990's were one of the peak periods of celadon production owing to an influx of wealthy Japanese tourists who bought souvenirs in Icheon's and Seoul's pottery shops.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=David |title=30 years of tourism research: a bibliography of Japanese tourism (1980~2009) |url=http://www5.jiu.ac.jp/books/bulletin/2012/tour/02_williams.pdf |website=Josai International University}}

In 2002 he was designated the 349th Korean Master Craftsman by the government of South Korea.{{Cite web |last=Hallyuism |date=2021-11-24 |title=The Tradition and History of Korean Pottery |url=https://hallyuism.com/2021/11/24/the-tradition-and-history-of-korean-pottery/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Hallyuism |language=en-US}} and the first master to be designated for celadon ceramics.{{Cite web |last=Lim |first=Man-taek |date=2023-09-07 |title=MR O Commerce-Mirae Asset Securities hold September Finance & Art Tech Seminar Invitational! 엠알오커머스-미래에셋증권, 9월 금융 & 아트테크 세미나 초대전 개최! |url=http://www.mediapia.co.kr/news/curationView.html?idxno=61812 |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=미디어피아 |language=ko}}

In 2006, Kim held a solo exhibition titled "From Earth to Light". He considers it to be the turning point in his life where he went from being a "major" to a "master".{{Cite web |last=시민일보 Citizen Ilbo |date=2021-08-17 |title=I am Goryeo's 'Celadon'! [오치우의 인물채집] "나는 고려의 ′청자′다 !" |url=https://m.siminilbo.co.kr/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065596128121434 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=m.siminilbo.co.kr |language=ko}}

However, this period of personal successes coincided with the 1997 Asian financial crisis and Japan's lost decades.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-25 |title=Pandemic has worsened ceramic artists' agony |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2024/03/690_306023.html |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=koreatimes |language=en}} Tourism and the market within Korea for traditional wares dropped significantly.{{Cite web |title=Korean Crisis and Recovery |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/nft/seminar/2002/korean/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=www.imf.org}}

In 2015 Kim was awarded as being Korea's Master of the year.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Geun-young |title=청자 도예가 김세용 명장 개인전 - 미주 한국일보 Solo exhibition of master celadon potter Kim Se-yong |url=http://dc.koreatimes.com/article/20240109/1497052 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=dc.koreatimes.com |language=ko}}

In 2017 he received the Order of Cultural Merit of the Republic of Korea.

As of 2023 he has received 22 awards, including the Garland Medal of the Order of Cultural Merit{{Cite web |title=뉴욕문화원, 한미동맹 70주념 기념 고려청자 명장 특별전 화려한 막 올려 |url=https://www.kocis.go.kr/kocc/view.do?seq=1045823&searchType=menu0023&langCode=lang001 |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=한국문화홍보서비스 |language=ko}} and participated in more than 110 exhibitions in South Korea and around the world.{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Lisa |date=2023-08-02 |title=Story of a Thousand Years - Master of Goryeo Celadon Ceramics exhibition in NYC |url=https://www.kget.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/647838877/story-of-a-thousand-years-master-of-goryeo-celadon-ceramics-exhibition-in-nyc/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=KGET 17 |language=en-US}}

Kim's works are inspired by ancient celadon wares produced during the Goryeo period (918-1392). However, rather than simply replicating historical patterns, he adopted the Korean philosophy known by the four-character idiom "Beop Go Chang Sin" (법고창신 法古創新).{{Cite web |title=Designers Party |url=http://www.designersparty.com/category/Craft?page=7 |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=www.designersparty.com}} This philosophy was preached by 18th century philosopher Park Ji-won. It means to create something new that has been derived from the old.{{Cite web |date=1999-12-06 |title=[중앙시평] 법고창신(法古創新) |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/3848826 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=중앙일보 |language=ko}}

Kim produces pottery through a laborious, manual process. After digging and sieving the clay, he allows it to age for up to 5 years.{{Cite web |last=Hong |first=Chang-shin |title=청자에 혼을 심는 도공 A potter who puts his soul into celadon |url=https://v.daum.net/v/M0JtgENFlD |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=언론사 뷰}} It is then kneaded by hand and foot Kim claims, "Using feet allows finer and subtler control of the detail."{{Citation |title=From Earth to Light, Korean Ceramic Master Hand, Seyong Kim's Life |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=426rj6thJW0 |access-date=2024-03-16 |language=en}}

File:Korea, Goryeo period - Fragment of Garden Stool with Openwork Design - 1918.418 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif

File:Collection double-openwork celadon moon jars by artist Kim Se-yong and one openwork bottle vase.jpg

Some of his works depict the four gracious plants commonly referred to as the Four Gentlemen (Sagunja 사군자). Other of his works focus on just one. Two frequent studies in sanggam (inlaid celadon) are a single branch of a plum tree laden with ume blossoms and an orchid.{{Cite web |last=Ahn |first=Ji-young |date=2023-09-01 |title= Super Blue Moon, Blue Purple Moon Jar, Moon Taryeong Again 수퍼블루문, 청자달항아리, 다시 달타령 – hinykorea |url=https://hinykorea.com/townnews/230901ny3/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |language=en}}

To create landscapes, he uses the sgraffito technique. A frequent theme is a landscape scene featuring a rocky, forested mountain range covered in snow, with traditional buildings that have roofs laden under a heavy snowfall.{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.kceramicmaster.com/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Kceramicmaster |language=ko}}

Kim's celadon moon jars are more in keeping with traditional Joseon period moon jars that were also thrown on a manual kick wheel and fired in a wood-fired kiln.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-01 |title=Super Blue Moon, Blue Purple Moon Jar, Moon Taryeong Again 수퍼블루문, 청자달항아리, 다시 달타령 – hinykorea |url=https://hinykorea.com/townnews/230901ny3/ |access-date=2024-05-11 |language=en}}

Kim met his wife, Lee Sae-dam, at the pottery he first joined where she worked as a potter.{{Cite web |last=Berman |first=Lisa |date=2023-08-02 |title=Story of a Thousand Years - Master of Goryeo Celadon Ceramics exhibition in NYC |url=https://www.kget.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/647838877/story-of-a-thousand-years-master-of-goryeo-celadon-ceramics-exhibition-in-nyc/ |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=KGET 17 |language=en-US}}

Kim founded the Sechang Artistic Ceramic Institute (세창예술도자연구소){{Cite web |title=세창도예연구소. |url=http://www.scceladon.co.kr/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=www.scceladon.co.kr}} in Icheon to disseminating his findings and train potters.

File:Master Kim Se-yong in Osaka Japan explaining his celadon vase.jpg

File:Event poster for Kim Se-yong and Dohun Kim Exhibition held in Osaka Japan December 2024.jpg

2006 From Earth to Light, Icheon City, South Korea

2023 Story of a Thousand Years: Master of Goryeo Celadon, Los Angeles and New York City{{Cite web |title=뉴욕문화원, 한미동맹 70주념 기념 고려청자 명장 특별전 화려한 막 올려 |url=https://www.kocis.go.kr/kocc/view.do?seq=1045823&searchType=menu0023&langCode=lang001 |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=한국문화홍보서비스 |language=ko}}

2024 "Royal Celadons" by Sechang Kim Se-Yong and Kim Dohun Kate Oh Gallery New York City

2024-2025 A Thousand Years of Story, Osaka Korean Cultural Center{{Cite web |last=Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism - Korean Government |date= |title=Special and beautiful celadon from a master craftsman, introduced in Osaka |url=https://www.kocis.go.kr/koccMcst/view.do?seq=1050563&ctrcode=&page=1&pageSize=10&photoPageSize=6&totalCount=0&searchType=menu0023&searchText=&searchCondition=1 |access-date= |website=Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism - Korean Government}}

{{reflist}}

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=426rj6thJW0 YouTube video: Kim and his son demonstration making double-openwork vase.]

[https://www.rct.uk/collection/74658 Vase in Royal Collection Trust presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1999]

[http://www.scceladon.co.kr/ Sechan Artistic Ceramic Institute]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Se-yong}}

Category:1946 births

Category:Living people

Category:South Korean ceramists