[Gallery Walk] Capturing the Moon Shaped by Earth and Fire: 'Joseon Potters' Round Heart'

Pottery Artist Lee Yong-sun's Moon Jar Exhibition
Artist's Focus United with Clay, Fire, and Wheel
Until the 23rd, Insadong Topo House

"The spirit of Joseon potters lives within the earth and fire."

Yongsoon Lee, white porcelain moon jar.

Artist Lee Yong-sun, who feels the breath of Joseon potters every time he shapes a moon jar, described his work this way. Over more than half a century, his moon jars crafted from earth and fire embody the tradition of Joseon potters while also embracing a modern sensibility. He is holding a solo exhibition titled ‘The Round Heart of Joseon Potters’ at Topo House in Insadong, Seoul, until the 23rd.

In this exhibition, the artist presents recent works that modernize the essence of traditional Joseon white porcelain. At 66 years old, Lee Yong-sun did not receive formal ceramic education but entered the world of pottery through repairing and restoring ceramics over his 50-year career as a potter. His working method strictly follows the traditions of Joseon potters. He travels nationwide studying white porcelain fragments, personally collects white clay resembling rice cake powder from mountains, and even makes his own glaze to use.

Lee Yong-sun’s moon jars do not pursue perfect symmetry. Instead, they reveal unique character through natural roundness, expressing true beauty that shines within human imperfection. The mouth is large, and although the foot is narrow compared to the body, it does not appear precarious. Rather, the line perceived as straight between the body and foot evokes the image of the moon floating above the horizon. The color spectrum ranges from slightly bluish seolbaek (snow white) to opaque milky white.

Depending on space and light, the moon jars show different expressions like human faces. The subtle milky white skin sometimes shines delicately, sometimes warmly. The phrase ‘moon jar with a thousand faces’ is not without reason. The diverse charm of the moon jar cannot be fully captured by a camera. It can only be appreciated with the eyes and heart.

Artist Lee Yong-sun.

Moreover, the three-dimensionality and texture of Lee Yong-sun’s moon jars are soft and subtle like milky skin. Art director Cha Kyung-rim remarked, “The artist’s moon jars embody a warm, elegant, and reliable lyricism, making a unique presence even in contemporary art.”

During his lifetime, master painter Park Seo-bo praised Lee Yong-sun as “the best living moon jar artist,” lauding him for reaching a state of immersion beyond form and technique. He noted, “Moon jars, created with simple shapes, glaze, and clay without any patterns, share the spirit of monochrome painting.” He was particularly drawn to the feeling that the seolbaek white porcelain bowl, though empty, seemed to hold clear and blue water, which captivated him with the charm of the moon jar.

The artist’s moon jars displayed in the exhibition space are not mere exhibits. His works provide deep psychological comfort to viewers. Art psychologist Lee Jung-ah analyzed, “Moon jars have the power to fill the viewer’s inner self through the emptied space.”

Yongsoon Lee, White Porcelain Moon Jar. Height 47, Width 44. [Photo by Topo House]

Regarded as a product of the cultural zenith of the 18th century Joseon Dynasty, moon jars remain contemporary artworks that satisfy modern art tastes. In fact, renowned art collectors such as Belgian world-famous interior designer Axel Vervoordt and Korean-Japanese architect Itami Jun own Lee Yong-sun’s moon jars.

Delicate lighting further enhances the beauty of the moon jars. Visitors can fully feel the traces of time shaped by earth and fire in this space. Though empty, the moon jars fully reveal their presence, filling the senses and inner self of the viewer, offering moments of contemplation and healing.