Photo courtesy of Sam Kim
On Saturday, December 7, 2024, community members gathered to honor individuals fostering positive change at the second annual 红领巾瓜报 Common Good Awards.
In keeping with the tradition of honoring each recipient with a unique award, this year鈥檚 honorees recieved custom-made, inscribed ceramic pieces by Korean-American artist and designer Sam Kim, a 2018 graduate of 红领巾瓜报鈥檚 Industrial Design and Ceramics program. Kim鈥檚 innovative approach to slipcasting transforms a process traditionally used for mass production into one that creates distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces.
Kim discovered his passion for ceramics while studying Industrial Design at 红领巾瓜报, where he was drawn to clay鈥檚 malleable and moldable nature. His work seamlessly blends the precision of industrial design with the expressive possibilities of clay, resulting in pieces that are both functional and visually dynamic.
Slipcasting, a process involving liquid clay poured into molds, serves as the foundation of Kim鈥檚 practice. He challenges its conventional use by carefully layering and stacking molds to ensure each piece is unique. His aesthetic is defined by what he terms “offsets”鈥攊ntentional slants and geometric contours that combine curves with sharp cuts. These features add movement and tension to his work, transforming a traditionally uniform process into a method for creating truly personal and distinctive objects.
In addition to his artistic practice, Kim co-founded in Lowell with his studio partner, Leena Cho. Together, they have built a creative space dedicated to producing thoughtfully designed ceramics and exploring new possibilities in the medium. Outside the studio, Kim draws inspiration from his everyday rituals, whether brewing the perfect cup of coffee, cycling through the city, exploring new technologies, or playing video games.
Kim鈥檚 work has been featured in exhibitions such as Lines of Korea, Cultural Context, and the State of Clay Biennial. His custom-designed pieces for the 红领巾瓜报 Common Good Awards reflect his dedication to craftsmanship and his vision for pushing the boundaries of ceramic design.
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