Icheon, through designation as a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art in 2010, was recognized for its significant value as a city with a long history in ceramics that harkens back to the Bronze Age. A variety of Korea’s finest ceramics, ranging from celadon ceramics boasting the beauty of pale jade-green glaze to white porcelains characterized by the beauty of space and symbolism and Buncheong ceramics presenting liberal and simple beauty, as well as the lifestyle and architecture of Icheon, are waiting to greet visitors. As the largest and foremost ceramic culture festival in Korea, the 28th Icheon Ceramics Festival offers festive events under the theme of “Creation, Moment of Romance” from August 29 to September 21.

This year’s Icheon Ceramics Festival was originally slated for April, but has been postponed to autumn due to the ferry Sewol disaster. As it had a long time to prepare, the festival was welcoming visitors in profusion.

A variety of events and programs are provided throughout the festival and include: Calligraphy Path, a plate calligraphy demonstration and special exhibition held by 50 invited calligraphers of Korea; a trend contest exhibition for ceramic signs; an exhibition presenting a grand variation created by tradition and experimentation; pottery demonstrations by ceramic masters and rising young ceramic artists; clay and spinning wheel experiences; and ceramic sales at the Ceramics Market. 

There were children in a huddle completely absorbed in playing with clay. Surrounding a gigantic clay vessel taller than the children themselves, they were drawing dolls, flowers, animals, houses and their own artwork on the smooth surface of the white porcelain clay. The vessel served wonderfully as a sketchbook for children. 

Of the programs offered by Icheon Ceramics Festival, the most popular among children is the Clay Experience in which children can make their own pottery pieces. All children express their own stories and wishes through the process of making a vessel while using a spinning wheel and painting colors on the piece. Distinctive ceramic vessels are created.

For those who do not have time for firing ceramics, another experiential program is available in which children draw on pre-made ceramics. Made of the same earth, they all have different features. Each and every of one of them is unique in the world. 

In addition to experiential programs for making ceramics, another program is offered that enables children to feel clay, the heart of ceramics, with their own bodies by stomping and playing on clay with bare feet. The innocent looks of the children standing on the clay must be the most natural.

A very unusual scene that can be seen only at the Icheon Ceramics Festival started to take place; that is, creating a ceramic pot much taller than an adult and wider than adults arm span. The performance runs every weekend, and potters demonstrate Gyeongsangnam-do style Taryeomjil, building up clay beads, jiggering, and Jeolla-do style Taryeomjil.

Demonstrations by ceramic artists continued. Clay, bricks, wood and water are all that is needed. It is a raku firing demonstration during which you can witness the naturally occurring magical work of glaze. 

After glazing, the pot is heated in a raku firing kiln. You can instantly see the colors change depending on exposure to the air which is controlled using rice chaff. Ceramics that are completely different in color and shape from those made by firing in a traditional kiln are produced.  

At Icheon Ceramics Festival, the largest ceramic market in Korea is being held with 119 ceramics studios from Icheon participating. Presenting a variety of ceramics in all genres, transcending the traditional and the contemporary, the Ceramics Market also offers special discounts of up to 50% on selected items. 

Ceramic ware for daily use as well as artistic pieces reminiscent of celadon and white celadon of the Joseon Dynasty are on display. Ceramics, despite the crude feeling of earthenware, shine as daily necessities with a luxurious finish. I would just buy them all and share good food on the dishes with family members. 

With prices ranging from just two Korean won to several million won, ceramics are quite divers in their uses and features. The fact that any type of ceramic is well matched to the surrounding landscape must be the charm that all ceramics have in common. 

A special exhibition can be found at the exhibition hall featuring ceramics that represent the evolution of Icheon ceramics. Visitors can vote in a Popularity Award event and receive a beautiful ceramic piece as a present by lot. The 1^st Icheon Ceramic Artist Exhibition presents new designs that are suitable for the popularization and wider use of ceramics in our daily lives. 

A total of three Popularity awards will be presented based on visitor votes. As it may have a significant impact on the popularization of ceramics, I carefully looked at each piece of art exhibited. All the works bear traces of great efforts and careful deliberation. 

After taking a careful look at all the artwork, I voted at the ballot box. What I really liked the most about the Icheon Ceramics Festival is that there are so many programs in which visitors can actively participate. No wonder it has been continuously loved as one of the most representative festivals in the region. 

In another corner of the exhibition hall, winning entries from the trend contest for ceramic signs are on display. All the pieces exhibited are stylish, created with fresh new ideas. I was struck with admiration by each and every piece in the exhibition. 

This is the Grand Prize winter, a sign for a book café made using ceramics baked in the shape of a brick. The calming colors and the unique way of expressing books are impressive. 

It is a sign for a café that incorporates a garden of white porcelain flowers, reminiscent of white porcelain. Decorated with flowers, befitting the title of “Flower,” this second prize winner is pleasantly simple and beautiful. 

The ceramics culture continued along a walkway at the festival venue. It is the Calligraphy Path, a special exhibition featuring 50 invited calligraphers of Korea. Ceramics and calligraphy are put together through a plate calligraphy demonstration and special exhibition to create this beautiful road. 

Festivals are incomplete without delicious foods. As it is the harvest season, a variety of agriculture products are offered at the festival. Agriculture products that look farm fresh and food items carefully prepared by farming families make the festival far richer. 

With various items to eat and activities to watch and enjoy, the Icheon Ceramics Festival is ideal and lacks nothing. The festival provided me with a chance to think over where our ceramics culture stands and to realize once again that we should carry forward our traditional culture. I hope that Icheon Ceramics Festival spreads across the world and lets the world know the beauty of Korea’s ceramics.