{"id":1968380,"date":"2026-06-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1968380"},"modified":"2026-06-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T21:00:00","slug":"jongjin-park-layers-slip-soaked-paper-into-patchwork-sculptures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1968380","title":{"rendered":"Jongjin Park Layers Slip-Soaked Paper into Patchwork Sculptures"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1413\" height=\"1148\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-6.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a square sculpture made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images courtesy of Jongjin Park, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Jongjin Park Layers Slip-Soaked Paper into Patchwork Sculptures<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-02T13:15:00-05:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-craft\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/craft\/\" rel=\"tag\">Craft<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/gebert\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Grace Ebert<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F06%2Fjongjin-park-slip-cast-paper-sculptures%2F&amp;title=Jongjin%20Park%20Layers%20Slip-Soaked%20Paper%20into%20Patchwork%20Sculptures\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"474612\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Given the heat generated during firing, it\u2019s rare to see paper incorporated into a ceramics practice. For Seoul-based artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jongjinpark.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jongjin Park<\/a>,  though, the two go hand-in-hand. <\/p>\n<p>Park recently won the 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/craftprize.loewe.com\/en\/craftprize2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Loewe Craft Prize<\/a>, a prestigious annual award celebrating innovative makers, for his striking sculpture \u201cStrata of Illusion.\u201d A rectangular shape with an open top and slouching side, the piece features countless folded layers made from paper towels dipped in watered-down ceramic slip. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-5.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474612\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1411\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-5.jpg\" alt=\"a square sculpture made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" class=\"wp-image-474643\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Inspired by the distinctive, rippled textures and minuscule lines within stacks of paper, Park \u201cwanted to break through the traditional boundaries and stereotypes inherent in ceramics as a medium,\u201d he tells Colossal. \u201cTo do this, I began experimenting with alternative materials other than clay, searching for a meaningful intersection.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Standard paper towels were a natural fit, but they didn\u2019t come without challenges. \u201cBecause 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,\u201d he says. \u201cI strictly use recycled paper made from repurposed milk cartons, and technically, I utilize specialized kilns equipped with high chimneys to manage the exhaust.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There were also conceptual challenges that Park addressed through reframing how he thought about the material, particularly its malleability when drenched and slippery. \u201cIn my practice, this pre-fired state is not viewed as \u2018fragile\u2019\u2014the way traditional unfired ceramics are commonly perceived\u2014but rather redefined as a\u00a0\u2018flexible\u2019\u00a0state where patterns, forms, and colors can be actively manipulated,\u201d he shares, adding that finding the balance between strength and elasticity was the most difficult part of the experimental process. <\/p>\n<p>Layers, for Park, are both apt metaphors for the passage of time and a material illusion. \u201cWhen 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,\u201d he says. \u201cI am deeply drawn to this visual and conceptual tension, where seemingly opposing values\u2014thinness and density, flexibility and rigidity\u2014coexist harmoniously within a single structure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition to his studio practice, Park is a professor in Craft &amp; Collectible Design at Seoul Women\u2019s University. Peek into his process in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DYHml9aDIiU\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this video<\/a>, and find more of his work on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/jongjinpark_ceramics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-8.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474612\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2069\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-8.jpg\" alt=\"a square sculpture made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" class=\"wp-image-474646\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474612\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1464\" height=\"1178\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-7.jpg\" alt=\"a square sculpture made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" class=\"wp-image-474645\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474612\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2259\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-1.jpg\" alt=\"a square sculpture made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" class=\"wp-image-474639\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474612\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2090\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-4.jpg\" alt=\"a square sculpture made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" class=\"wp-image-474642\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474612\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1922\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-3.jpg\" alt=\"two square sculptures made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" class=\"wp-image-474641\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-474612\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2014\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/park-2.jpg\" alt=\"a square sculpture made of layered and folded slip by Jongjin Park\" class=\"wp-image-474640\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow 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post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\">\n<div class=\"nav-links\">\n<div class=\"nav-previous\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/06\/molly-devlin-animals-nature-acrylic-paintings\/\" rel=\"prev\">Next article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All images courtesy of Jongjin Park, shared with permission Jongjin Park Layers Slip-Soaked Paper into Patchwork Sculptures June 2, 2026 ArtCraft Grace Ebert Share Email Bookmark Given the heat generated during firing, it\u2019s rare to see paper incorporated into a ceramics practice. For Seoul-based artist Jongjin Park, though, the two go hand-in-hand. Park recently won [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1968380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1968380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1968380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1968380\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1968380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1968380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1968380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}