Tradition and Modernism in Dialogue

Korean ceramics were already highly appreciated in 16th-century China and Japan by dint of their elegant, sophisticated colours and the simple beauty of their forms. The green-grey celadon pieces of the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) and the simple white ware of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) still come across as innovative and modern even today.

No wonder that Korea still possesses a lively and high-calibre ceramics tradition. Among the internationally acclaimed artists working in this tradition is Lee Young-Jae, who lives in Germany and Korea. The new exhibition in the Korea Gallery shows historic celadon bowls, jugs and vases from the collection of the Museums of East Asian Art, contrasting these with masterpieces by Lee Young-Jae. Her utility ceramics, produced for the Margaretenhöhe ceramic workshop in Essen also have great aesthetic quality with their simple forms going back to the Bauhaus.

The ceramics are also used in a number of Korean tea cereminies, so that visitors can experience the fusion of art and everyday. A concert of classical Korean and Western music performed by a cellist and a Korean soprano rounds off the day.

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