The 2024 ACC Asia Network series “Immigration on Ceramics” is an annual project launched in 2017 as the institutional agenda of the ACC, aiming to invigorate discourse on “Asia.” This year, the exhibition highlights contemporary ceramics actively being developed outside Asia through artists with experiences of immigration.
Ceramics have long been considered a traditional heritage of Asia, embodying the region as a symbolic medium. The culture of ceramics, which has spread globally with the historical movement of humanity, is undergoing a reinterpretation, especially in the United States, where racial and cultural convergence actively takes place. Four artists participating in this year’s exhibition, including Steven Young Lee (Korean-American), Linda Nguyen Lopez (Vietnamese / Mexican-American), Se Oh (Korean-American), and Amy Lee Sanford (Cambodian-American), come from diverse backgrounds, such as being second-generation immigrants or adoptees. Their works are characterized by their roots stemming from migration narratives, experiences of cultural conflict, and identity exploration. At this juncture, their works unfold stories distinct from ceramic arts manifested within Asia. “Immigration on Ceramics” is an attempt to read contemporary ceramics with a new perspective through the phenomenon of migration that has been intertwined with human history rather than through formalistic interpretations.
For this exhibition, the artists traveled from the United States to Gwangju, where they created some pieces at Chosun University. Along this journey, the artists provided shapes to the trajectory of their migration experience in three dimensions, reflecting the traces of their steps in ceramics. We hope visitors can witness the artworks and walk along with them through this exhibition.