One chaotic saturday morning, I received a phone call from an old friend about an opportunity to have a show and present at a seminar in Seoul. The details were sketchy, but the thought of traveling to Korea was exciting. I had but nebulous knowledge of the culture and the country, but images of buncheong ceramics, seen years ago had always stayed with me and put the country on my list of must visit places.

A few weeks later a letter arrived from the Contemporary Korean Ceramics Power Association and then a flurry of emails from the INKO Centre in Chennai about flights and visas!
The letter from CKCP explained that the show would consist of 6 Indian and 10 Korean artists, and that the Indian artists were expected to carry their work along, and then, if unsold, carry it back.
I had long enjoyed these rather small works of mine, and had been waiting for the right opportunity to show them. This seemed like the perfect time.

The letter also explained that the seminar was to consist of a series of presentations by the Indian artists on traditional as well as contemporary art and craft in India, aimed at university students in Seoul. I had been asked to speak on traditional and contemporary craft in India. The ambit of craft in India was way too extensive for a twenty minute presentation, and the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to not only talk about a single craft, but also to limit myself to craft being produced in my immediate environs. Hyderabad has a wealth of textile studios and craftspeople. I decided to focus on the people I could visit and talk to about their craft. It was an experience that enriched my knowledge and understanding of various textile traditions, while expanding my wardrobe considerably! It drew me closer to the wonderful richness of this city that I have grown up in. And all the people I visited were so gracious and generous with their time and knowledge.

And before I knew it, we were on our way to Seoul… and what a lovely little trip it was.. Our hosts were the most wonderful group of artists, who had almost every minute of our ten days with them planned out in great detail.
The delightfully irreverent president of CKCP, Jin Kyoung and graceful Eun Kyo were at the airport for eight hours, waiting for our very delayed flight. Jun Young, aka Willy stayed with us at the sparse but very comfortable Seoul Art Space – a hostel exclusively for artists. From taking us shopping for towels and coffee at 11 pm on the night we arrived, to making sure our larder was well stocked, he was our in house trouble shooter.
Our show, Colorful Wonderful opened at the Yido gallery. As the effervescent Kyu Ri would say, it was a “high quality show” after which we enjoyed a lovely dinner with much “low quality” joking and giggling!

Jun Young

Jin Kyoung

Vineet Kacker

Shitanshu Maurya

Oh Eun Kyo

Korea and her people seemed to me so comfortable in their own skin. Hello Kitty so at home alongside the church alongside the buddhas, the joseon period ceramics revered as much as the Nam June Paik installations. There was something deliciously subversive about the small traffic transgressions ( which I might never have noticed had I not just returned from driving in the US! ) , the raucous babble in restaurants, the “low quality” jokes and the easy laughter, and together with the warmth and thoughtfulness, the incredibly quiet and always attentive hospitality, it made for an unforgettable experience.
The day after our show opened, we were whisked away first to the marvellous Nam June Paik Museum and then to the charming little town of Suwon. There, we were treated to several sumptuous meals, most definitely more than three a day, a fabulous little walk through the town at night and visits to artists’ studios, and of course the tour to the palace and a walk along the ramparts of the old castle.

Back in Seoul on sunday night, and it was time to work. As we went over our presentations with our intrepid translator Lee Hoon, we discovered that there was little need for us to talk after that first little run through! Hoon more than made up for my lapses during the presentations over the next three days.
We presented at the Sookmyung Women’s University and the Seoul Women’s University on the first day. The Hongik University on day two and at the Seoul National University of Science and Technology on day three. It was a curious fact that at every university we found the personality of the Head of Department reflected in the character of the department itself.
The days went by in a blur.. so much to do, such little time…an Indian buffet lunch before Hongik University and Namdeamun market after, where I hunted for pink and purple shiny things for my daughter, and then a delicious dinner in a hole in the wall at the market… lunch in the university cafeteria at Seoul Tech, and then ceramic show openings in insadong, the next day after an inspiring visit to Jae Joon and Kang Kyoung Youn’s studio and their warm hospitality, we visited Cerapia! the Ceramic Utopia in icheon, marvelling at their collection of contemporary international as well as Korean ceramics. There were, at the museum a few moments of great excitement and pride at finding the works of our compatriots in the collection. After which a visit to Yeo Kyung Ran’s fairy tale shop brought the day to a perfect end.

Kang Kyoung Youn’s studio

Jae Joon’s installation at the Yido Cafe

Jin Kyoung with Jae Joon’s work

Jun Young’s Recycle wall at Cerapia

Pandurang Daroz Jars at Icheon

Vineet Kacker in the Icheon museum collection

Yeo Kyung Ran’s fairy tale land

For as long as I can remember, i’ve felt an intuitive resonance with Buddhism. A philosophy more than a religion, I endeavour to follow it’s wisdom, admittedly with patchy success. And although I follow none of the rituals, I enjoy visiting the temples.
The whimsical Jogye – Sa temple, the graceful Gilsang – Sa, the living breathing Hwagyesa temple and the little adventures involved in getting there will always suffuse my memories of Seoul with grace and paradox.

Jogye sa temple

Gilsang Sa temple

Hwagyesa Buddha

Of the hundreds of museums in Seoul, I had time only to visit the fantastic Leeum Samsung Museum and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. And I left feeling fulfilled and hungry for more simultaneously!

On our last evening we were treated to the most unexpected little surprise – Jazz in a basement, which we left reluctantly for our last dinner together of the most delicious Indian meal I’ve ever eaten outside of India!
I savoured every moment of the discovery and experience that was Korea, and someday I hope I will return.