Jaiik Lee

Inspired by traditional Korean ceramics—particularly the Moon Jars of the late Joseon Dynasty, with their imperfect roundness and visible joining marks—Jaiik Lee's Transition series represents a pivotal evolution in his artistic journey, transforming rigid copper into flowing organic forms. Rather than throwing clay, Lee constructs his vessels by meticulously spot-welding thin sheets of copper plate, which he then coats with porcelain and fires to create richly colored surfaces complemented by gold leaf accents.

The works embody the concept of transition itself—the Latin tránsĭtus, meaning "passing over" or "crossing"—exploring both the process and result of change. Each piece captures a moment of metamorphosis, suspended between two states of being. Their undulating organic forms create a sense of buckling and swelling, as though the vessels are expanding from within.

"What fascinates me about transition is not just the end result, but the journey between states," says Lee. "My work documents that transformative process, preserving the evidence of change within the final form."

By revealing elements of his process, Lee highlights the temporality of his craft. In some of his vessels, the hundreds of small welding beads used to construct the work are left dotting the surface like tiny gems, while in others, several layers of fired porcelain are sanded down to reveal themselves. The obsessive and repetitive nature of his craftsmanship is laid bare, and the transformation is revealed—highlighting not only his unique innovation in material, but also a powerful transposition of traditional Korean craft and cultural heritage. This creates visual tension between tradition and contemporaneity, solidity and fluidity.

Lee's work was shortlisted for the prestigious LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize in 2023 and exhibited at the Noguchi Museum in New York, as well as at several international institutions and exhibitions, including the Seoul Museum of Craft Art and Somerset House in London. His solo exhibitions include Distortion of Life at Gallery Dos, Seoul (2018), and Contradictory Contours at KCDF Gallery, Seoul (2016). He has participated in notable group exhibitions such as Craft: Moving Beyond Time and Boundaries at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (2022), Révélations at Grand Palais, Paris (2022), and Ars Longa at Gallery SP, Seoul (2022). Lee received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. from Hongik University in Seoul before studying metal arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States, completing his graduate studies in 2011. His works are held in private collections across Asia, Europe, and North America, establishing him as a significant voice in contemporary craft's global dialogue.