DENVER—The Denver Art Museum (DAM) will proudly present Perfectly Imperfect: Korean Buncheong Ceramics, co-organized with the National Museum of Korea (NMK), from Dec. 3, 2023, to Dec. 7, 2025. Perfectly Imperfect will be on view in the museum’s Jackson and Korean art galleries on level 5 of the Martin Building and will be included in general admission.

Perfectly Imperfect is the first of a series of planned exhibitions and programs focused on Korean art, thanks to a grant of more than $900K from the National Museum of Korea under its Overseas Korean Galleries Support Program. Curated by Hyonjeong Kim Han, Joseph de Heer Curator of Arts of Asia, and Ji Young Park, National Museum of Korea Fellow of Korean Art at the Denver Art Museum, along with curators at NMK, Perfectly Imperfect inaugurates unique programs, exhibitions and collaborations between the NMK and the DAM over the next three years.

HUH Sangwook , Flask-Shaped Bottle with Plantain Motif , 2023. Clay with white slip, painted in iron and blue, and silver lustre; 17 ⅜ x 18 ½ x 8 ⅝ in. Collection of the Artist. © Huh Sangwook. Photography © Studio Ye

“The DAM is fully committed to highlighting arts, exhibitions and programs that showcase Korea’s rich arts and culture,” Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the DAM, said. “With the generous grant from the National Museum of Korea and our expert curatorial team, the museum is uniquely positioned to contribute to a new era of Korean art growth and appreciation.”

Sophisticated, playful and engaging, Buncheong ceramics became a uniquely Korean art form in the late 14th to 16th centuries. Elements of the Buncheong style have remained relevant in modern and contemporary Korean art and have influenced other artistic expressions. Its refined and rustic aesthetic has been admired by generations of potters and artists in Korea and across the world.

Bottle with Fish Motif , Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) Korea. 11 7/8 x 6 3/4 in. dia. Buncheong with iron-painted design. National Museum of Korea: Bequest of Lee Kun-Hee, 2021. © National Museum of Korea.

Perfectly Imperfect will feature more than 70 exquisite works of Korean Buncheong ceramics from the 15th century to today, renowned for their white slip and adorned with diverse surface decorative techniques. The exhibition will also include four 20th- and 21st-century paintings as well as 16 drawings by five painters. Created and organized by the DAM in partnership with the NMK, this innovative exhibition will illustrate why this historical art form continues to resonate with Korean ceramists, as well as with other contemporary artists and viewers worldwide.

“The establishment of a new Korean art fellowship is a demonstration of the Denver Art Museum’s commitment to training young professionals to become experienced curators of Asian art in the world,” Han said. Ji Young Park, who joined the DAM in summer 2023, will oversee projects in collaboration with the NMK and conduct research on Korean art history during her three-year tenure.

Jar with Peony and Scroll Motif, late 1400s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) Korea. Buncheong with carved-away (sgraffitto) design, 42.7 x 31.8 dia. National Museum of Korea. © National Museum of Korea.

Subsequent projects will be a reinterpretation and reinforcement of the meaning of Korean art in Denver with contemporary artists, including Korean American artists Sammy Lee and Jaye Rhee in 2023-2024.

Perfectly Imperfect: Korean Buncheong Ceramics is organized by the Denver Art Museum and made possible through the generous support of the National Museum of Korea. Additional support is provided by the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine and CBS Colorado.

 HYANG Jin Cho, Urn for Commemorating April 16th (Part of installation "Inevitable Coincidence", 2015. Glazed stoneware with stamped design; 16 x 12 in. Collection of the Artist. © and courtesy Hyang Jin Cho.

Lidded Bowl, late 1400s-early 1500s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) Korea. Buncheong with brushed white slip design, 4x 6 3/4 dia. Bequest of Lee Kun-Hee, 2021. National Museum of Korea. © National Museum of Korea.

Elephant-shaped Ritual Vessel with Tortoise Motif, Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). Buncheong with incised design, 9 7/8x 16 1/4 dia. National Museum of Korea. © National Museum of Korea.

Sunsic MOON, Summer Night, 2022. Oil pastel and oil stick on wooden panel, 8 7/8 x 13 3/4 in. Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery. Photo by Chunho An. Image provided by Kukje Gallery.

Yun Hyong-keun, Umber Blue, 1980. Oil paint on linen; 44 1/8 x 57 1/4 in. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea Collection. © Estate of Yun Hyong-keun, courtesy of MMCA, Korea.

Cup with two Handles, late 1400s-early 1500s, Joseon dynasty (1392–1897) Korea. Buncheong with dipped white slip design, 13/4 x 3 1/2 dia. National Museum of Korea. © National Museum of Korea.

Lee Kang-Hyo, Buncheong Mountain Water, 2020. Red clay with white slip, 19 1/4 x 31 1/8 x 10 5/8 in. Collection of the Artist. © Lee Kang-Hyo. Photography © Kim Seong-un.

Kim Whanki, 14-XI-69#137, 1969. Oil paint on canvas; 61 5/8 x 36 3/4 x 1 5/8 in. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea Collection. © Whanki Foundation-Whanki Museum. Korea/Courtesy of MMCA, Korea.