Incorporating paper into ceramics is uncommon due to the high temperatures involved in firing. However, for Jongjin Park, an artist based in Seoul, this combination is integral to his work.
Park recently received the 2026 Loewe Craft Prize, an esteemed annual accolade recognizing innovative creators, for his impressive sculpture “Strata of Illusion.” The piece, which is rectangular with an open top and slouching side, is composed of numerous folded layers of paper towels soaked in watered-down ceramic slip.
Park, inspired by the unique rippled textures and fine lines seen in stacks of paper, aimed to transcend the traditional limits and stereotypes of ceramics. “I wanted to break through the traditional boundaries and stereotypes inherent in ceramics as a medium,” he explained to Colossal. This led him to experiment with materials beyond clay in search of a meaningful fusion.
Using standard paper towels was a logical choice, but it presented challenges. “Because the process required firing massive amounts of paper, I had to overcome both technical and ethical hurdles regarding the combustion and disappearance of the paper,” Park noted. He exclusively uses recycled paper derived from repurposed milk cartons and employs specialized kilns with high chimneys to handle the exhaust.
Park also tackled conceptual challenges by rethinking the material’s properties, especially its pliability when wet and slippery. “In my practice, this pre-fired state is not viewed as ‘fragile’—the way traditional unfired ceramics are commonly perceived—but rather redefined as a ‘flexible’ state where patterns, forms, and colors can be actively manipulated,” he said, highlighting that the toughest part of his experimental process was balancing strength and elasticity.
For Park, layers symbolize both the passage of time and a material illusion. “When hundreds or thousands of these sheets are stacked together, they withstand the intense heat of the kiln and acquire a solid, monumental permanence, akin to natural rock formations or geological strata,” he explained. “I am deeply drawn to this visual and conceptual tension, where seemingly opposing values—thinness and density, flexibility and rigidity—coexist harmoniously within a single structure.”
Beyond his studio work, Park is a professor in Craft & Collectible Design at Seoul Women’s University. To see more of his process, watch this video, and explore more of his creations on Instagram.
