Lee Jong Neung
Bio
The ceramic artist Lee Jong-neung was born in the city of Gyeongju in South Korea, 1958, the ancient capital of the Shilla Dynasty. Lee Jong-neung describes that he was was brought up by Mother Nature, enjoying the beauty of nature, historic architecture and sculptures scattered around the old and mystical city.
"The earth and fire never betray me, so my pottery exactly reflects myself".
He has strived to be the Korean earth. He traveled to many countries, and studied the earth in many different places, in order to understand and appreciate the distinctiveness of Korean earth. Lee Jong-neung is constantly working to master his art, giving his whole life and soul, to find the resonance between himself and earth. This was the basis of his thought, that pottery should be made according to the rules of the living earth. So he gets used to traveling around the country looking for the best earth. After bringing it to his workshop, he selects it, washes it, drains it and begins to make pottery. He himself builds the kiln and feeds the fire with firewood, with a childlike curiosity and purity.
"Knowing destruction is the mother of creation and creation begins from nothing, I burn myself down with wood-fire at 1300 degrees Celsius, to keep the spirit of nothing."
1983 ~ 1985 Collected and studied clay, fragments of antique ceramics of Buncheongin the area of Mt. Jiri in Korea.
1989 ~ 1992 Explored the cultural flow of Southeast Asian countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Jeju Island in Korea.
1992 ~ 1993 Traveled around China and Mongolia by way of the Silk Road to learn about and search for the famous ceramic kilns, tea-producing districts and cultural trends of Northeast Asian countries.
2002 Researched the famous ceramic kilns of the Nan Song Dynasty (1127~1279) in China, including Ming Yao, Jian Yao and Jizhou Yao in China. (Studied Clay, Fragments of antique ceramics and structure of kilns.).
Most recently, he holds membership in the Korea Traditional Tea Culture Association. (Member of The Committee of Ceramic Art)
Exhibition & Shows
1986 - Documentary film commemorating Korea Liberation Day "How can I forget my hometown?" by Korean Broadcasting System & NHK
1995 November - The 1ˢᵗ Solo Exhibition At Lotte Hotel, Sokongdong, Seoul, Korea
1996 May - 4ᵗʰ International Tea Culture Seoul Exhibition. (Sejong Cultural Center, Seoul, Korea)
1996 August 15 - SBS Special documentary film "The Secret of the Royal Capital" (Performed task of making the earthen-ware kiln of Koguryo Dynasty)
1997 July - Succeeded in restoring prehistoric-age pottery (Neolithic Age and Bronze Age) in Korean Land Corporation Land Museum
1997 October - St. Petersburg National Folk Museum in Russia
1998 October - Hangzhou National Tea Leaf Museum in China collected his "Ceramic Tea Sets"
2001 January - Appeared in the 2002 World Cup public information documentary "Beginning from the East," produced by KBS and NHK
2001 August - Documentary film production for the World Ceramic Expo (Buncheong Section)
2001 December - 2ⁿᵈ Solo Exhibition : Tohheun (Seoul Gallery/Press Center, Seoul, Korea)
2002 September - 3ʳᵈ Solo Exhibition, exclusively invited to present Jisan’s Ceramic Art Exhibition at the Culture Center in the Asian Games Athletes’ Village in Busan, Korea
2004 October Made specially-designed teaware of Tohheun for 23 CEOs of SIBAC (AIG, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, Nomura Securities Co. Ltd, in Japan, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China)
2004 May ~ October - Appeared and demonstrated how to make and fire ancient ceramics in a program about the history of ceramics of the great civilization; Korea, China, Egypt by KBS
2004 November - 4ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: 20 years of making ceramics (Seoul Gallery at Press Center, Seoul, Korea)
2007 September - Special Exhibition at The British Museum : Moon-shaped White Porcelain Jar
2008 June - 5ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: Revolution of Earth, (Insa Art Center, Seoul, Korea)
2008 November - 6ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: ‘Outing to Tea land’ in DEBEC PLAZA GALLERY, Daegu, Korea
2010 November - 7ᵗʰ solo exhibition at gallery "Mi" of Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo, Japan
2011 April - 8ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition at Gallery 'Mirine' of the Korean Cultural Center in Osaka, Japan
2011 May -'Moon-shaped Jar,' a white porcelain jar, was housed in Osaka Museum of History in Japan.
2012 May - 9ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition (Jeju Culture & Art Center)
2013 May - 10ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition at the art gallery of the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles
2014 April - 11ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition, Jisan’s Exhibition, invited by KBS JejuBroadcasting Station to commemorate the completion of the new hall.
2014 October - 12ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition, Jisan’s Exhibition at the gallery Korea of the Korean Cultural Service, New York
2015 September - 13ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition "The Outing of Jisan's Tohheun" the Korean Cultural Center Washington D. C. K-art gallery
2015 October - 14ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition "Solar Lanterns for Africa Children" Promise Church Exhibition Room New York
2016 April - 15ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition (KBS Jeju Broadcasting Station Exhibition hall)
2016 December - 17ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: 30 years of making ceramics (KEPCO Art Center Gallery in Seoul)
2017 February - 18ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: KEB Hana Bank Gallery in Seoul
2018 March - 19ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: “40 Years After 1978” Gyeongnam and Arts Center(Jinju)
2019 May - 21ᵗʰ Solo Exhibition: “The Dream from the East” Hwangnyongwon Jung-do Tower (Gyeongju)
Collection of Jisan's ceramics are housed in
St. Petersburg National Folk Museum, Russia
Hangzhou National Investment & Securities Co. Ltd. Korea
Tea Leaf Museum, China
Seoul Daily Newspaper, Korea
Giuliano Vangi, Italy
Gilead Sciences, Inc., USA
Nicola Loi, Italy
Land & Housing Museum in Korea
Osaka Museum of History in Japan
KBS Jeju Station
Taurus Investment & Securities Co., Ltd. Korea
