Seoul-based artist Jongjin Park has shattered the traditional boundaries of ceramics by incorporating paper into his work. His latest piece, “Strata of Illusion,” is a striking sculptural triumph that combines watered-down ceramic slip with layers of paper towels.

Park’s work challenges both technical and ethical hurdles, as he uses only recycled paper from repurposed milk cartons and specialized kilns to manage the intense heat. He explains: 'The pre-fired state of these materials is not perceived as fragile but rather redefined as flexible, allowing for active manipulation of patterns, forms, and colors.'

By stacking hundreds or thousands of sheets, Park creates a visual tension between thinness and density, flexibility and rigidity, which he finds deeply resonant. 'The layers acquire a solid, monumental permanence,' he says, likening them to natural rock formations.

In addition to his studio practice, Park is also a professor in Craft & Collectible Design at Seoul Women’s University, where he shares his innovative techniques with aspiring makers. His work invites us to question the nature of materials and their potential beyond conventional limits.