Michigan

Artist Statement:

A consistent point of departure for my work has been the ceramic vessel and grappling with the balance between form and function.  I am interested in the way that pots have the unique ability to serve a multitude of roles and functions.  They can be decorative, they can create nostalgia, they can reference history or places, they can bring attention to more tactile or ergonomic concerns, and of course, they can be used.  My interest is in the challenge of creating pots that reflect our contemporary time while drawing from the vernacular of pottery shapes that have lasted for ages.  

My most recent work explores more graphic line drawings that are inspired by various forms of script – Islamic calligraphy, graffiti, and Korean cloud motifs.  While these references originate from different cultures, my attraction to this imagery is more formal.  There is something lyrical about these marks that I find curiously similar to the way I conceive, originate, and develop my forms, all of which occurs through the act of drawing.  I am intrigued by re-introducing drawing at the end of my process and creating another voice in the conversation between form and function.

Biography:

Sam Chung was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1970) and received his MFA from Arizona State University (1997) and his B.A. degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota (1988).  He taught at Northern Michigan University from 1998-2007 and is now teaching at Arizona State University in Tempe.  Exhibitions: Cervini Haas, AKAR, Dubuque Museum of Fine Art, Sherry Leedy, Santa Fe Clay, Lacoste,  Taipei County Yingge Museum and Incheon World Ceramic Center.  Collections: Everson Museum of Art, Incheon World Ceramic Center (Korea), Guldagergaard (Denmark), Shepparton Art Gallery (Australia), University of Arkansas, and Arizona State University Ceramics Research Center.   Residencies: Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Watershed, Guldagergaard (Denmark).  Sam’s work has been included in the following Publications:  Contemporary Ceramics (Susan Peterson),  The Art of Contemporary American Pottery (Kevin Hluch),  The Complete Guide to High Fire Glazes (John Britt), Works by Ceramic Artists From Around the World (Fu Ziying), and Masters of Porcelain (Lark).  In addition, Sam has presented numerous lectures and workshops both nationally and internationally.