The moon jar is one of the most iconic ceramic forms in Korea – revered for its simple, austere beauty. It rose to prominence in the 17th-18th centuries during the Joseon Dynasty. As a Korean-American artist, Sam Chung has always admired the generosity that the form exudes and the wide-open space it offers for reflection. The Asian cloud motif that is integrated into Chung’s contemporary moon jars is a recurring theme and serves as a metaphor for living in between two cultures, a space that is constantly in flux.
Sam Chung received his MFA from Arizona State University and a BA degree from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. He is a Professor of Ceramics at Arizona State University. He was awarded a U.S. Fulbright Scholar grant in South Korea for the 2021-22 academic year. Sam Chung has exhibited his work nationally and internationally and is in several permanent collections including the Everson Museum of Art (NY), Crocker Art Museum (CA), Icheon World Ceramic Center (Korea), Guldagergaard (Denmark), and the Weisman Art Museum (MN).
