Rosa chinensis 104 Juho Rick Lee

Juho Rick Lee was born in South Korea in 1995 and worked in Korea within the ceramic field, mainly as an instructor. His work focuses on making Eastern Asian ceramic more approachable for the everyday person, preserving traditional Korean Ceramic techniques, exploring the in-between of two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects and forms of expression, and his botanical studies. For this work specifically, he has focused on the idea of the Anthropocene and the amount of ecological footprint on the earth. Rather than using modern technology to aid in the creative process, he sees his hands as the most precise tool in his arsenal. The piece is purposefully left unglazed not only to reduce the ecological footprint when glazing but so that the work can be returned to the earth with ease. Due to the limitations of the two-dimensionality of the traditional execution of Korean ceramics, he uses traditional techniques to depict common traditional subjects, like flowers, with a modern approach by portraying said subjects in three-dimensional form. Being an immigrant in Canada, as a result of the Asian diaspora, he has developed a strong desire not to lose touch with his culture and traditions and continue the family heritage as an artist.