SOUTH KOREAN ceramist Kang Dong-hyun and his wife Kim Hyun-ju have been living in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, for years, devoting themselves to the art of ceramics. Known as China’s “porcelain capital,” Jingdezhen has been dedicated to the craft for over 1,800 years. The city has been attracting people from around the world to settle down in pursuit of their art dreams. Kang came to Jingdezhen Ceramic University (JCU) in 2013 for postgraduate study after graduating from Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech) with a major in ceramics. “My tutor recommended me to go to Jingdezhen and I was interested in the mud materials here,” he said. “I had many South Korean schoolmates at JCU and most of them went back home after graduation to work in the field of ceramics,” he said. However, Kang and Kim, also a ceramist who graduated from SeoulTech, have remained in Jingdezhen where they run a ceramic studio. “I’m very interested in the art of Chinese ink painting,” Kang said, adding that the Chinese art has been a source of inspiration for him. Many of his ceramic works, usually made of a mixture of different kinds of mud, feature patterns similar to the curves of mountains and waters in nature, showing a distinctive style of Chinese ink paintings. Kim mainly focuses on making ceramic dessert tableware and porcelain paintings. She joins the local ceramic fair every week to sell her works, and uses the opportunity presented by the fair to communicate with customers and other artists. “It is my customers who have given me advice, helping me to come up with better designs,” she said. The couple also sells their artworks online, and their works have been attracting a growing number of Chinese buyers. Both of them have been maintaining an old way of making ceramics. From kneading the mud to firing the ceramics, they insist on completing the whole process with their own hands. “This is a habit passed down from my South Korean tutor, which gives us a stronger sense of mastery over the work,” said Kang. In their eyes, Jingdezhen is an ideal place for career development. “Life here is not as colorful as that in Seoul, but I can focus myself on the work that I like and the complete industrial system here can offer much convenience for creators,” Kim said. Governmental support has also boosted their confidence in the industrial development of Jingdezhen. “The government not only provides policy, financial and technical assistance, but also gives support such as free entrepreneurship training to reduce the risks faced by those starting businesses,” Kang said. Kim recently became a contributing editor for a South Korean magazine on ceramics, and every two months she writes about the latest news in Jingdezhen’s ceramic industry. “The beauty of art can transcend the boundaries of nations,” she said. “We will do our best to promote exchanges between the two countries concerning the culture of ceramics.” With a firm belief in the potential of the Chinese market, the couple has set their minds on further combining elements of Chinese culture with the characteristics of ceramic art in South Korea to create more beautiful artworks. (Xinhua) | 