Sunkoo Yuh

The ceramic sculpture of SunKoo Yuh, who was born in South Korea in 1960 and immigrated to the United States in 1988, is composed of tight groupings of various forms including plants, animals, fish, and human figures. While Korean art and Buddhist and Confucian beliefs inform some aspects of his imagery, his work is largely driven by implied narratives that often suggest socio-political critiques. The Rubin Center has exhibited two monumental columns that showcase Yuh’s mastery of the complex narrative and of the ceramic medium. Yuh’s work is included in the collections of the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, The Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, among others.

SunKoo Yuh is currently Associate Professor at the University of Georgia, Athens.  He received his MFA from Alfred University. He has exhibited widely and has received many awards and honors.  In 2005-03 he was the recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation grant, the Grand Prize at the 2nd World Ceramic Biennale International Competition, Icheon, Korea, The Elizabeth R. Raphael Founder’s Prize and the Virginia A. Groot Foundation.  His work is in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution, Icheon World Ceramic Center, Korea,  Oakland Museum of Art, California, and more.