Cutting Clods of Clay into a “Wave of Life”: Ceramic Artist Seo Dong-hee’s “River of the Water of Life”

Seo Dong-hee, emeritus professor at Konkuk University, has spent years shaping biblical teachings in clay. She will hold an exhibition of her latest works, “River of the Water of Life,” from the 12th through December 22 at the Bible Ceramic Art Museum in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.
Her signature work, “River of the Water of Life,” was inspired by the “river of the water of life” described in Chapter 22 of the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation depicts a river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God, with the Tree of Life on either side of the river.
Seo created the work using her distinctive “slicing” technique, cutting away a lump of clay with wire. She precisely divided the clay vertically and horizontally, then hollowed out and carved its interior to create an organic form that appears to carry flowing water.
The work was first fired in a kiln to harden its form, coated with transparent glaze, and fired again at 1,300 degrees. The process produced a subtle bluish-white porcelain tone, while the rigid lines softened into curves that evoke the image of a rippling river.
The work was also featured in the German ceramics magazine “New Ceramics.” In a commentary published in its July-August issue, the magazine noted that Seo transformed clay through her slicing technique to create symbolic forms, carefully considering proportion, balance, and structural harmony as she connected the individual parts. It also explained that the stand supporting the white porcelain form was made from ceramic clay, enhancing the work’s visual stability.
After beginning her study of contemporary ceramics at the University of Kansas in the 1970s, Seo has worked for more than 50 years, focusing on white porcelain and colored porcelain. She has consistently presented works inspired by the Bible, including “Tree of Life,” “Adam and Eve,” “The Star from the East,” and “Manger,” expressing biblical teachings through contemporary ceramics.


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