Sam Chung
Arizona

Porcelain, black & red overglaze
Functional
Teapot: 9.25"w x 5.75"l x 5"h
Ear Cup: 5.25"w x 3.5"l x 1.5"h

About the Teapot
The teapot includes an “ear cup” that can be used as a lid or removed and used as a cup to serve tea.
The Cloud Ear Cup is inspired by Joseon dynasty’s (1392-1910) Korean wine cups.  Traditionally, they were held with two hands (hence two “ears” as handles) to show respect to others.

About the Artist
Sam Chung is a Korean American ceramic artist living in Arizona. He creates pottery that
reframes historical ceramics from a cross-cultural perspective.
Sam earned his MFA in Ceramics from Arizona State University and a BA from St. Olaf
College in Minnesota. He currently serves as Professor of Ceramics at Arizona State
University. In 2021–22, he was awarded a U.S. Fulbright Scholar grant to conduct
research in South Korea.
Sam has exhibited his work nationally and internationally at Duane Reed Gallery, Harvey
Preston Gallery, Ann Linnemann Gallery (Denmark), Soluna Living (Korea), Northern Clay
Center, ClayAKAR and Greenwich House Pottery. Sam’s work is in several permanent
collections including the Everson Museum of Art (NY), Crocker Art Museum (CA), Icheon
World Ceramic Center (Korea), Guldagergaard (Denmark), and the Weisman Art Museum
(MN).

Artist Statement
My practice explores the fluid constructs of self hood and identity through the re-imagining of historical ceramic forms. As a Korean American, I move between disparate cultural landscapes, using clay as a medium to navigate toward a grounded sense of belonging.
The cloud motif serves as both image and inquiry. While the cloud is a traditional Korean symbol of good fortune, I interpret it as a metaphor for transience and the experience of existing within the “in-between.” The shifting, adaptive nature of clouds mirrors my own fluid sense of identity.  These cultural references act as an anchor, pointing toward my ethnic lineage while simultaneously questioning the idea of “home.”
My graphic cloud drawings are stylized to reflect the emergence and evolution of a contemporary state of being that rises out of tradition and previous generations. This juxtaposition reflects the notion of Yin and Yang, two opposites that coexist to create balance between the ancestral and the modern.

*Teapots that are purchased will remain on display in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition, through September 14, 2026.
After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 28, or they may be picked up at the gallery.