Artist James Kemp (BFA 2012) has been selected to show at the Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art in Yeoju, South Korea, as part of the 2024 Korean International Ceramic Biennale (KICB).

James’ ceramic sculpture, Hungry Ghost II, was chosen as one of 61 finalists from more than 1500 submissions to the 2024 KICB.

James credits his friends with encouraging him to apply for this year’s competition following a rejection from the KICB several years back.

“As artists, we can often be too self-critical about our art, thinking it’s not good enough, but this has been a lesson that it’s best to leave that call to the curators and that we should just make the art we make,” he says. “I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity and all the guidance and continued support I’ve had from the ECU Ceramics and Sculpture department faculty.”

James, a Vancouver-based artist and educator, is the founder of Hand Eye Ceramics Studio. He is one of three Canadian artists to be selected as a finalist for the 2024 KICB, alongside Susan Collett and Bruce Taylor.

Organized by the Korea Ceramic Foundation, the KICB is known for its focus on contemporary trends in ceramic art worldwide. Submissions are evaluated based on their capacity to address environmental, social, political and economic issues, contributing to the ongoing discourse within the artistic community and offering glimpses into potential future directions for ceramic arts.

The exhibition at the Gyeonggi Museum will open in September 2024 and will show through Feb. 2, 2026.

Visit James’ website and follow him on Instagram to learn more about his practice. Visit Hand Eye Ceramics Studio online to learn more about their programming and learning opportunities.

Visit ECU online to find out more about studying Ceramics and Sculpture + Expanded Practices at Emily Carr.