Listening

red clay

4 x 4 x 4 inches

Courtesy of The Artist

Guest Curated by Shane Prada

Special thanks to the artist for this 100% donation

Yeonsoo Kim is a South Korean ceramic artist whose work bridges traditional Korean techniques with contemporary, narrative-driven expression. Currently based in New Hampshire, he is known for creating large-scale vessels and sculptures that explore personal identity, psychological states, and his journey of "listening to his inner voice". The graphic elements Yeonsoo employs grew out of a lifelong practice of drawing and painting, one he continues today and uses to challenge himself to create new clay forms and surface designs. He exhibited his work at Craft + Design for the first time in 2025 where he was selected as the Featured Artist and won Best in Show. He was also named Best in Show at Smithsonian Craft Show in 2025 and was NCECA's 2020 Emerging Artist of the Year. He has participated in prestigious residencies at the Archie Bray Foundation, where he was awarded the Matsutani Fellowship and the Etchart-Satre Fellowship. His residency experience also includes the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and the Korea Ceramic Foundation. Kim's practice continues to explore the profound dialogue between tradition and contemporary form, focusing on the evocative "breathing volume" and the visceral presence of clay. Yeonsoo says that working in his studio as a full-time artist makes him feel "rewarded every day."