Artist Kim Eun-kyung brings heat to her paintings with unique, kiln-fired methods

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Artist Kim Eun-kyung brings heat to her paintings with unique, kiln-fired methods

Published: 18 Apr. 2026, 07:00 Updated: 18 Apr. 2026, 21:35

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Ceramic painter Kim Eun-kyung paints on a white porcelain slab at her studio in Seorak-myeon, Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi. [PARK SANG-MOON]

[ZOOM KOREA]

For artist Kim Eun-kyung, painting does not end with the brush. It continues in the kiln, where heat reshapes her images into something less controlled, and often more striking, than she first imagined.

Her work unfolds on white porcelain slabs formed from clay, a surface that replaces the traditional canvas. She paints with heat-resistant pigments, then subjects each piece to a rigorous firing process that ultimately determines its final appearance.

Each work is fired at temperatures exceeding 1,250 degrees Celsius (2,282 degrees Fahrenheit) for more than 10 hours, a stage in which glaze and pigment fuse into translucent layers. The process produces a luminous depth that distinguishes her work from oil or watercolor painting, with colors that appear suspended beneath the surface.

Kim Eun-kyung applies glaze to a painted porcelain slab. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Kim, 51, began her career as a Western-style painter, showing an early aptitude for drawing. Yet she had long been drawn to the idea of working on porcelain. That shift took shape during her studies in ceramic painting at Sejong University’s graduate school of convergence arts. Since 2019, she has focused on developing a practice that reinterprets traditional ceramic techniques through a contemporary painterly language.

Her work moves between disciplines, dissolving the boundary between ceramics — an art shaped by clay and fire — and two-dimensional painting. The process begins with the careful making of the ceramic slab. Clay must be rolled to an even thickness and handled with precision to prevent warping or cracking during drying and firing. She uses high-quality kaolin or white porcelain clay to create a clean surface that allows color to emerge with clarity.

Kim Eun-kyung examines a painted porcelain slab. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Color enters the work through techniques rooted in tradition. Kim often uses the underglaze method, applying pigment to a bisque-fired slab before covering it with glaze and firing it again at temperatures above 1,250 degrees Celsius. The pigments settle beneath the glaze, producing a soft, layered effect.

She also employs overglaze techniques, firing pieces again at lower temperatures — around 700 to 800 degrees Celsius — to achieve brighter and more intricate hues. In some works, she introduces texture through inlay and sculptural surface treatments, known as matière, carving into the clay before it dries and filling the grooves with differently colored clay or pigments. These methods draw from the buncheong ceramics of the Joseon period (1392-1910), but are reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.

Ceramic paintings undergo firing in an electric kiln. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Despite the careful preparation, the kiln introduces an element of uncertainty. During the long firing process, glaze may melt and flow unpredictably, and pigments can shift subtly under intense heat. Because each piece must be fired for more than 10 hours, the process also demands considerable physical stamina. These changes, difficult to control, often deepen the visual complexity of the finished work.

Kim’s imagery draws heavily from nature. Water droplets, peonies, lotus flowers, sunflowers and ginkgo trees recur throughout her work, reflecting memories of a childhood spent outdoors. Scenes of playing in mountain streams appear as glistening droplets, carrying a sense of movement and quiet nostalgia.

A work by Kim Eun-kyung depicting long-tailed tits translated as “Peonies and Long-tailed Tits.” The bird is a frequent subject in Kim's work. [PARK SANG-MOON]

A work by Kim Eun-kyung depicting long-tailed tits translated as “Long-tailed Tits in a Cherry Blossom Palace.” The bird is a frequent subject in Kim's work. [PARK SANG-MOON]

More recently, she has turned to the long-tailed tit, specifically a variety distinguished by its entirely white head. In her work, the small bird appears adorned with traditional Joseon-era headwear — royal crowns, scholar’s hats and bridal coronets — blending humor with cultural symbolism.

The bird, often depicted as small and endearing, suggests wisdom and the beauty of nature. By placing it in historical attire, Kim explores the relationship between past and present, tradition and modernity. Each variation reflects her effort to reinterpret Korean heritage through a contemporary visual language.

Through her work, Kim seeks to offer viewers a sense of comfort and quiet joy. Recurring motifs such as water droplets and the long-tailed tit carry associations of clarity, light and good fortune. The works extend beyond visual pleasure, reflecting a vision of a world in which nature and human life exist in balance.

A work by Kim Eun-kyung depicting long-tailed tits translated as “Friends.” The bird is a frequent subject in Kim's work. [PARK SANG-MOON]

A work by Kim Eun-kyung depicting long-tailed tits. The bird is a frequent subject in Kim's work. [PARK SANG-MOON]

A moon jar by Kim Eun-kyung depicting long-tailed tits translated as “Magnolias and Long-tailed Tits.” The bird is a frequent subject in Kim's work. [PARK SANG-MOON]

A painting by Kim Eun-kyung translated as "Misty Valley" [PARK SANG-MOON]

This article was written in Korean by Korea JoongAng Daily senior photographer Park Sang-moon and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY PARK SANG-MOON [[email protected]]