Yoona Hur

Yoona Hur is a ceramic artist based in Seoul and New York. Inspired by the full breadth of Korean ceramic history, from ancient earthenware to the white porcelain of the Joseon dynasty, her pieces both preserve and reinterpret this cultural heritage.

Hur studied fine art at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago, and went on to study architecture at The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at Cooper Union. Her approach to design and process is grounded in these disciplines; consequently, the setting of an artwork deeply inspires her, and is a crucial consideration in her practice.

Hur explores a variety of finishes, materials, techniques and forms in her ceramic work, and has expanded her practice to encompass canvas works using hanji, gesso, glue and acrylic. Inspired by the Dansaekhwa movement, Hur combines fibrous paper made from the inner bark of the mulberry tree with water and other materials and alters it with painterly, gestural brush strokes, creating works with intricate, textural surfaces. “Clay and hanji are both sculptural materials,” says Hur. “They allow me to strive for a tactile, physical experience with the work. Like in traditional Korean art, there is a sense of void and emptiness in the pieces, which opens up the viewer’s senses to the ever-changing environment in which the objects dwell.”