Installation view of 《Shin Sang Ho: Infinite Metamorphoses》 ⓒMMCA
The National Museum of Modern and
Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), is presenting the retrospective 《Shin Sang Ho: Infinite Metamorphoses》 at its
Gwacheon branch through March 29. The exhibition surveys the artist’s
sculptural and painterly practice developed over more than six decades through
clay, while introducing the expanded scope of contemporary Korean ceramics.
Shin Sang Ho (b. 1947) has worked with clay
as his primary medium since the 1960s, responding to the changing society and
world of art in Korea. Recognized as a leading figure in modern Korean
ceramics, Shin has expanded the potential of clay in diverse ways, achieving a
high level of craftsmanship.
Installation view of 《Shin Sang Ho: Infinite Metamorphoses》 ⓒMMCA
《Shin Sang Ho: Infinite Metamorphoses》
traces the artist’s lifelong process of transformation,
deconstructing the forms and meanings of Korean ceramics while establishing new
aesthetics. During a time when national identity and cultural values were
emphasized, Shin explored his role as both a craftsman and an artisan
contributing to the country’s industrial development through traditional
ceramics. Around the time of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, amid Korea’s
globalization, he decisively moved beyond conventional norms to pioneer a new
genre of ceramic sculpture.
Installation view of 《Shin Sang Ho: Infinite Metamorphoses》 ⓒMMCA
In the 21st century, a time of increasing
hybridity and diversity, Shin further expanded his practice through ceramic
installations and ceramic architecture, actively crossing the boundaries
between art and architecture. In the 2020s, he returned to clay as a site of
reflection and presented a series of ceramic paintings. Throughout his career,
Shin has expanded the horizon of contemporary Korean ceramics, sustaining a
liberal artistic attitude and a spirit of experimentation that continues to
shape his artistic journey.
The exhibition consists of five chapters
organized in chronological order, introducing the full spectrum of Shin’s
ceramic practice from traditional ceramics to ceramic sculpture, architectural
ceramics, mixed-media objects, and ceramic painting.
