Panta Rhei, 2019, Sculpture, Various material_Wax, Ceramic, Textile, 45 x 45 x 60(cm)
Panta Rhei, 2019, 조각, 혼합재료_왁스, 도자, 직물, 45 x 45 x 60(cm)
Panta Rhei
Panta Rhei: everything flows. Tradition and cultural identity of every nation change at some point when people, objects, and cultures intersect with each other. This project started by researching the history of the Moon vase, a large, round and milky traditional Korean porcelain, and the macrame, the knotting technique. Macrame technique traveled around the world and is adopted variously in different times and places. In contrast, the moon vase seems like an old object whose meaning has already been determined from the past. However, its meaning has been changed over time. It is assumed that the vase was created initially as a container for foods. And later, it was redefined as an essence of Korean aesthetic by intellectuals in the 20th century. Today, the vase was once more evolved to be a public symbol of Korean cultural identity, which was displayed proudly in the Olympic ceremony. Based on the research, I created this object in the shape of the Moon Vase. In the making process, I deconstructed the used kitchen ceramics that I obtained from a secondhand store and reconstructed them into the shape of the Moon Vase. Paraffin wax in various colors is used to fix them around a wick made out of the macrame technique. Once the wick is lit, the vase evolves into different stages over time. The object in the shape of Moon Vase reveals the liquidity of tradition and cultural identity, thereby asking how we, now and here, define them by ourselves.
