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Yoonmi Nam Venerates the Insignificant with Her Ceramic Sculptures of Disposable Containers

26 Feb, 2024

This post was originally published on Colossal

All photos by E.G. Schempf, © Yoonmi Nam, shared with permission

Most of us quickly dispose of late-night takeout evidence or the abruptly empty box from the cookies we polished off in a single sitting, but Yoonmi Nam preserves the remnants of her consumption in unforgiving ceramic.

The South Korean artist (previously) has spent the last few years collecting single-use containers like aluminum pans, egg cartons, and styrofoam cups that she slip casts, creating archeological sculptures of their interiors. “I am a collector of trash,” Nam says about her works, which put our relationship to consumerism and disposability front and center.

Glazed in celadon, the sculptures juxtapose the decidedly contemporary subject matter with the history of the medium, as the distinctive gray-green hue transformed ceramic production in Korea during the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). For her ongoing solo show Generally Meant to be Discarded, Nam displays these stacks on soban, small dining tables traditional in Korea that sometimes double as altars. She explains:

I am deeply aware of the presence of objects that we handle, consume, display, and discard. I am drawn to them especially when they subtly suggest a sense of time that seems both temporary and lasting. There is truth and honesty in time, as all of us share the fate of impermanence. But the way we surround ourselves with collections of things, it is as if we feel a sense of permanence through these comforts and arrangements. In my work, I make images and forms that highlight everyday objects, spaces, events, and routines. While insignificant and mundane, they allow us to notice both the stillness and the passage of time.

Generally Meant to be Discarded is on view through February 24 at Studios Inc in Kansas City, Missouri. Find more from the artist on Instagram.

 

three stacks of celadon takeout containers on wooden pedestals

a stack of celadon takeout containers on a wooden pedestal alongside a crumpled sculpture of cups on a wooden pedestal

stacks of celadon takeout containers

a collection of celadon takeout containers on the floor

a collection of celadon takeout containers on the floor

stacks of celadon takeout containers on wooden pedestals

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Yoonmi Nam Venerates the Insignificant with Her Ceramic Sculptures of Disposable Containers appeared first on Colossal.

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To address these challenges, organisations operating in the climate-ready space were invited to apply for a Climate Action Living Lab grant in August 2024. Following an extensive application process, six organisations have been chosen to partner with the council over the next 12 months to trial solutions for climate action.

City of Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen said the Climate Action Living Lab will focus on three key areas: safety and climate resilience, sustainability and biodiversity, and renewable energy.

“These focus areas align directly with the priorities identified by our community, and we are excited to work with our partners to tackle these challenges head-on,” he said.

The following organisations were selected to be part of the Climate Action Living Lab:  

Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub: empowering youth for climate action
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Federation University: using UV-C technology to reduce chemical weedicide
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Western Port Catchment Landcare Network: City of Casey a community of bandicoot buddies
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“There are some amazing trials happening across the city and I am looking forward to seeing how they progress over the coming months,” Koomen said.

Image credit: iStock.com/laddawan punna

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