The Gangjin International Ceramic Exhibit

This summer Gangjin will invite between fourteen and twenty international ceramic artists to participate in an exhibit, a series of ceramic workshops and an optional tour.  The invitations will come after an adjudication process of your work.

Gangjin is simply looking for quality ceramic work and makes no limitations on type, style, glaze etc.  Prior exhibits have been diverse.

This is a link to the posting of an earlier exhibit on our website  Recently these exhibits are being displayed in the main gallery under glass. Use the back button there to return to this site.

Accepted artists are responsible for getting work to and from the exhibit.  This should not be a problem since artists will also be attending the accompanying workshop.  For prior exhibits, work accompanied the artists on their plane.  Usually just one piece is accepted.

Representatives from Gangjin will transport artists to Gangjin after arriving at the Incheon/Seoul airport.  Participants arrive at the international airport, stay overnight nearby and travel by bus to Gangjin the following morning.  It is a 5-8 hour ride depending on traffic.  Airfare is not provided by Gangjin.

Gangjin will provide accommodations, meals, transportation and a series of free workshops with exceptional Korean ceramic artists while in Gangjin.  The non-profit International Ceramic Artist's tour of South Korea follows our participation in Gangjin.  Gangjin along with Morning Earth Korea are subsidizing a portion of this tour.  If there is sufficient interest there is a possibility of extending that tour to Japan or China also at no profit.

The Exhibition Selection Committee in Gangjin, Korea will adjudicate this exhibit and workshop opportunity.

The dates of the exhibit are in late July or early August.  Contact us for this year's specific dates.  As stated, exhibiting artists are responsible for their work both to the exhibit and its return.  If you are on the tour, your work will be delivered to our hotel in Seoul prior to your home departure. 

Next

Would you like to learn about these events another way?  Click onto these various links.

Welcome       Registration      Itinerary

The Gangjin Experience       Testimonies

The Exhibit       Some Questions and Answers 

Testimonies On Gangjin and the Tour

No matter what I may say about the Gangjin Experience and tour, those who have actually been there and traveled with us say it best.  Following are a few of the statements we received.

 

To Arthur and Mary,

Participating in the Gangjin Celadon Festival was one of the most inspiring experiences in my ceramics career.  I feel very privileged to have taken part in the tour facilitated by Morning Earth, and it was a deep honour to meet, and see working, such accomplished ceramists as those we were lucky enough to visit.  Thank-you Gangjin and Morning Earth!

Elise Bishop, New Zealand

Having never been to Korea before, I was excited and somewhat unsure of what to expect.

The entire trip was a fantastic learning experience with a fun group of like minded artists.  Arthur and Mary provided a wide variety of activities as well as in depth clay experience.  We participated in several workshops and got to know many Korean potters, all who were kind and generous people.  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, including the great friends we made.

Good Luck!

Rachel Garrison, USA

Thank you very much about everything you did. It’s feeling now like a really good dream that I dreamt… the Gangjin occurrence. But it is not dream and I did take a part in all this beauty. Thanks a lot!!! I told and I’m telling everybody about this amazing opportunity that I had and that they not allowed to miss, I believe next year you will have a hard time to choose who will join your journey. You will have lot of potters.

Thanks again, feel free to upload my pictures.

Shaked Kaplan, Israel / Canada

One evening her 'friends' convinced Shaked to teach us Israeli Belly dancing.  A great spontaneous time was enjoyed by all.

I was one of the lucky 20 invited guests to the International Ceramics Workshop at the 37th Gangjin Celadon Festival in the summer of 2009.  Arthur and Mary Park of Morning Earth Pottery were responsible for the entire happening which was an extraordinary experience for me.  During those two weeks, we were celebrated, had our work beautifully displayed, got instruction from master potters in Korean ceramic techniques, and toured throughout the country with emphasis on ceramics.  Those two weeks were life changing and eye opening for me.  Arthur and Mary Park couldn't have been more accommodating and knowledgeable.  I couldn't recommend this experience more highly.

Sincerely,  Larry Stern, NY, USA

I met Arthur and Mary Park at the Mungyeong Chassabal festival while I was on a trip to Korea to visit my daughter.  

I knew I had to go back and was thrilled to be invited to be a part of the Gangjin International Celadon Festival in 2009, and the accompanying tour.

The Gangjin festival organizers were generous with their accommodation of the group, subsidizing the stay, providing thought provoking workshops daily and exhibiting our work in splendid fashion in the main building and in the excellent exhibition catalogue.

Arthur and Mary, using their knowledge, arranged so many wonderful opportunities; museums, visits to well known artists studios, wonderful meals and entertainment, shopping.Korean/English translation was an integral part of the trip.  I will keep in touch with my new friends from Australia, Israel, the USA, Korea and Canada. I have so much to learn from them and from Korea, as I continue my exploration of clay.

Next time I go Korea I plan for the time to be a study trip.

Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful experience.

Heather Hannaford, Canada

 . . . The festival was a celebration of Korean culture, alive with color, food, traditional crafts, warm friendly people, parades, dances, flowers, tea, and much more, and of course ceramics, especially celadon. . . 

I was amazed to see the respect that people had for ceramics and the artists. Young children were eager to throw pots on the wheel; they seemed engaged and knowledgeable while visiting The Celadon Museum.The following week we went on a bus tour with Arthur and Mary Park.  The tour was partly subsidized by Gangjin City, US Travel and Morning Earth Tours. It was terrific. I loved being in the company of fellow artists. . . .

Many of the people we visited live in remote villages and small towns.  We were welcomed with their hospitality and generosity. We got to see parts of Korea that most tourists never see. . . .I would definitely recommend ceramic artists to apply for next year's exhibit and tour. Good luck.

Nuala Creed,  Ireland/ USA

To read more by Nuala, click here: Nuala.

. . . Whoever is reading this Testimony is obviously interested, so don’t wait another second to fill in the application as this will be a life changing experience to anyone who loves CERAMICS.

Robyn Gill, Qld, Australia

To read more by Robyn, click here: Robyn

I also recently found this link posted by Cheryl Tall

Next

Would you like to learn about these events another way?  Click onto these various links.

Welcome       Registration      Itinerary

The Gangjin Experience       Testimonies

The Exhibit       Some Questions and Answers 

Full Testimony Robyn Gill, Qld., Australia

After a 3 month AIR in Jingdezhen, China 2008 I was overwhelmed when I received notice that I had been selected to participate in the 37th Gangjin Celadon Festival.  Only 20 Artists are selected from around the world.  This tour included Artists from the U.S. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Europe and this experience has been the highlight of my Ceramic career.  We met and worked with so many different Artists.

After the Festival we toured South Korea with the group and visited many National Treasures and their Studios.  No matter where we went in South Korea everyone was so giving and friendly.  I will never forget the hospitality we all received during the two weeks in South Korea.

One of the last days in South Korea we visited the Studio of Mooto Jeon Seong-Keun in Yeoju and when we were inside I realized that I had first seen his work in a publication in China and one of my pieces selected for the Gangjin Exhibition was inspired by his work.

My husband & I continued on to China where I did another AIR @ Sanbao Ceramic & Art Institute.  After a couple of days Arthur informed me that I was lucky enough to be invited back to Korea to study Porcelain Carving with Mooto Seong-Keun (Korea’s top Porcelain Carver).  We were welcomed into their Studio, home and dinner table.  I am so privileged to have spent this time with Mooto and I have many cherished memories, new ideas & new ways to Carve Porcelain.

It is impossible to say everything about all the Korean people we met and worked with, but I am sure they all know how much we appreciated their never ending Friendship & Hospitality.

All the friendships we have made with the other Artists selected for this tour is the other bonus of this trip.

Humungous thanks to Arthur & Mary without whom this amazing trip would not have been possible.

Whoever is reading this Testimony is obviously interested, so don’t wait another second to fill in the application as this will be a life changing experience to anyone who loves CERAMICS.

Thank-you Gangjin and Morning Earth!

Robyn Gill, Qld., Australia

We know that you are interested in seeing what Robyn did under Master Jeon.  Who knows, you may be the next to study with Master Jeon or another artist.  But of course we can’t promise that will happen.

Robyn Carving and Robyn’s Carving

Back

Next

Would you like to learn about these events another way?  Click onto these various links.

Welcome       Registration      Itinerary

The Gangjin Experience       Testimonies

The Exhibit       Some Questions and Answers 

Full Testimony Nuala Creed, Ireland/USA

In August 2009 I had the privilege of going to Korea as a exhibiting artist in the Gangjin Celadon Festival. It was an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Nuala Creed with Darwin from another exhibit

 

I was one of twenty visiting artists. We were from the U.S. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Europe.  For the week of the festival all our living expenses were paid for by the city of Gangjin.  That included meals, hotel and transport to and from the festival. The festival was a celebration of Korean culture, alive with color, food, traditional crafts, warm friendly people, parades, dances, flowers, tea, and much more, and of course ceramics, especially celadon. We met and had workshops with some of Korea's best-known ceramic artists. In turn we each gave a demonstration at the festival that attracted a large group of people who chatted to us as we worked. We had students as our interpreters as we demonstrated. People waved and talked to us as we wandered about the festival. Much of our communication was with body language that was fun and creative.

I was amazed to see the respect that people had for ceramics and the artists. Young children were eager to throw pots on the wheel; they seemed engaged and knowledgeable while visiting The Celadon Museum.

The following week we went on a bus tour with Arthur and Mary Park.  The tour was partly subsidized by Gangjin City, US Travel and Morning Earth Tours. It was terrific. I loved being in the company of fellow artists.  We visited Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Korea, and Mungyeong, a very important tea bowl village, also Yeoju, Icheon and Kwangju the three cities featured in the World Ceramic Exposition.  Arthur and Mary arranged for us to visit many of the Human Cultural Treasures of Korea. (These are artist that are so skilled and respected in their craft that the government recognizes them, and gives them financial assistance towards their living expenses.) Many of the people we visited live in remote villages and small towns.  We were welcomed with their hospitality and generosity. We got to see parts of Korea that most tourists never see.  We also visited Buddhist monasteries in the mountains. And a tea plantation, with an incredible hike. Korea is indeed picturesque. It also has amazing museums that are well attended. Our tour ended with three days in Seoul. It’s a big city with much of interest to do and see. We stayed in a lovely hotel near Insadong art market and gallery district.

I would definitely recommend ceramic artists to apply for next year's exhibit and tour. Good luck.

Nuala Creed,  Ireland/ USA

Back

Next

Would you like to learn about these events another way?  Click onto these various links.

Welcome       Registration      Itinerary

The Gangjin Experience       Testimonies

The Exhibit       Some Questions and Answers