what i did in Gimhae

Architectural Ceramics Reborn in Gimhae

``Dragon Spiral" is an installation work by Japanese artist Takamasa Kuniyasu. The piece can be seen at the entrance of the Clayarch Gimhae Museum in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province.

/ Courtesy of Clayarch Gimhae Museum

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

GIMHAE ― When you arrive at the Clayarch Gimhae Museum, you can't miss the huge dragon-like structure made of bricks and logs that looks like it is about to devour the ticket booth. This is ``Dragon Spiral'' by Japanese artist Takamasa Kuniyasu.

The striking dragon-like structure, made of 100-year old Chinese bricks and Korean wood, welcomes visitors to ``Architectural Ceramics ― Old'' exhibition at Clayarch Gimhae Museum.

Almost everywhere you turn at the museum complex, you'll find old and worn bricks, tiles, slates and other architectural ceramics salvaged from old homes and buildings in Korea and China, that have been transformed into new pieces of art.

``Architectural Ceramics ― Old,'' opened Friday and runs through Feb. 8, and is Clayarch Gimhae Museum's major exhibition for 2008.

Cho Seong-ja, the museum's curator, said the aim of the exhibition is to give a new perspective to architectural ceramics. ``The exhibit represents old materials transformed into modern artworks with new interpretation. It crosses the boundaries between art gallery and museum. It enables visitors to experience a sense of history and the artistic value of society,'' she said, during a press conference Friday.

The exhibit is divided into four sections: Old Architectural Ceramics, Re-definition of Old Architectural Ceramics, House-Shaped Earthenware and Photographs by renowned photographer Mark De Fraeye.

The section Re-definition of Old Architectural Ceramics showcases the works of six Korean
artists and four artists from the United Kingdom, France, Japan and the United States, who were invited to participate in a one-month workshop.

Cho said the artists were asked to produce new artworks using 100-year old architectural ceramics. ``The connection of ancient materials and modern art, as well as the interaction between artists from different countries, provide us with new perspectives to convey the theme of the exhibition,'' she said.

American sculptor Thomas Lauerman used tiles from China to make ``Hovercraft,'' whose shape he described as a mountain range.

``I was always interested in architectural styles and turning them into landscapes. I like taking something from the built environment and translating it into something that is more organic,'' Lauerman told The Korea Times.

Unlike the other artists who had one month, Jacques Kaufmann had only two weeks to complete his imposing work, ``Tuiles Flottantes'' (Floating Tiles) where he placed hundreds of pieces of arch-shaped tiles on top of each other.

``I was thinking what to do with the space because it is quite large. Then I saw the tiles. In the past, I also used granite. This stone is very strong and the tiles can also be strong. With a lot of quantity, I can make a big work. If you go near (the work), it looks heavy, but if you look at it from afar, it looks light,'' Kaufmann told The Korea Times.

Korean artist Kim Tae-gon took inspiration from Andong's well-preserved traditional architecture. He used the convex-shaped Andong roof tiles for the work ``Andong House,'' which features two stacks of roof tiles connected by white strings.

Around 1,000 artifacts mainly from East Asia between 5 B.C.and 19th century A.D. are displayed in the Old Architectural Ceramics section. Different kinds of tiles, bricks and ceramics sculptures are shown, highlighting the role of ceramics as a building material in ancient times.

``This presents a new way of approaching history and recognizing the form and decorative beauty of these ancient ceramics. Old architectural ceramics can provide a source of artistic inspiration in modern society,'' Cho said.

Around 81 Korean roof-end tiles on display were taken from the collection of Yoo Chang-jong, director of the Yoo Geum Museum of Roof-end tiles.

Another section shows De Fraeye's photographs of traditional houses, temples as well as landscapes in Korea, China, Japan, Tibet, Vietnam and Thailand. The Belgian photographer trained his lenses on these countries' architecture, which at first seem similar but have distinct characteristics.

``Recording Korea's traditional culture reveals the living style of the ancestors and provides us with the chance to look back on ourselves, who are already so ready to inhabit the style of Western housing,'' De Fraeye said.

The section on House-shaped Earthenware features 215 pieces, which were burial accessories made of baked clay. Shapes of the ceramic exhibits range from houses, gardens, and mills to warehouses and stables.

Clayarch Gimhae Museum is located in Jillye-myeon, Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province. Visit www.clayarch.org or call (055) 340-7011.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr