Sangwook Huh is one of Korea’s foremost artists working in buncheong ware, re-interpreting the traditional ceramic technique through a contemporary aesthetic and forging a distinct sculptural language. He studied Ceramic Arts at Kookmin University and its Graduate School, and has spent over three decades focusing primarily on the bakji (剝地) method in buncheong.

His work transcends functional pottery to become objects that hold traces of time and material. By applying white slip over dark clay, then carving and embellishing with silver, iron-oxide, or cobalt glaze, he explores the tensions and harmonies between different materials. The subtle cracks, evolving patinas, and textured surfaces created by the interaction of clay and fire lie at the heart of his aesthetic.

Huh actively investigates the durability and flexibility of buncheong, proposing the ceramic object as a living artifact that changes with time. As he remarks: “I enjoy imagining what the first color looked like, and how it will transform later.” His work is held in leading institutions worldwide, and in 2022, he was selected as a finalist for the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize, highlighting the global relevance of his craft. Huh continues to work at the intersection of tradition and modernity, material and emotion, shaping sculptures that embody “people and time."