Yikyung Kim (b.1935) is one of Korea’s most well respected ceramic artists, and a pioneer in the ceramic arts. Her works bring Korea’s ceramic heritage into the modern world, favouring a coexistence of aesthetic beauty and general practicality.
Kim’s ceramics are influenced by Joseon baekja (white porcelain), which are prized for their simplicity and naturalness. They are made using the ancient throwing technique, which offers flexibility and efficiency, allowing Kim to produce works that lack artificial traits and remain true to the material. Kim employs faceting to reveal the different characters of the clay: softness and sharpness, warmth and coolness, time and rhythm.
Kim studied at Seoul National University and the College of Ceramics at Alfred University in New York State. While in New York she had opportunity to meet Bernard Leach, and was profoundly influenced by his teaching. She is professor emerita at Kookmin University, Seoul.
Her work is included in the numerous public collections, including National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, South Korea; British Museum, UK; National Museums of Scotland, UK; Victoria and Albert Museum, UK; Smithsonian Institution, USA; Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA.