SooMi - BEAR^15 Series | Ceramic Bear
Ceramic Bear
7.5” x 9” x 2.5”
BEAR^4, BEAR^5, BEAR^6 were a part of BEAR^15 series. BEAR^16 was not.
All BEAR^n backing designs allow for hanging. Reference photos for visual.
The BEAR^15 series explores the fluidity of identity and the impermanence of form through the creation of balloon bears—a symbol that, much like our own bodies, occupies a transient space, defined by air and form but always on the brink of transformation. The balloon bear, in its simplest essence, is air captured in a delicate, malleable membrane—a momentary embodiment of shape that mirrors the human experience of existing in a body that is both temporary and ever-changing.
By translating these ephemeral forms into ceramics through 3D modeling, 3D printing, and slip casting, I seek to capture and preserve a fleeting moment in time. The act of casting the balloon bear in clay serves as an anchoring of the impermanent into the realm of the tangible, much like the rituals and traditions in Korean funerals that aim to give shape and permanence to the transient journey of life and death. The balloon bears, once soft and yielding, become solidified in their form—capturing that brief moment where they exist in a defined space, much like how our bodies claim space during our lives.
Ceramic Bear
7.5” x 9” x 2.5”
BEAR^4, BEAR^5, BEAR^6 were a part of BEAR^15 series. BEAR^16 was not.
All BEAR^n backing designs allow for hanging. Reference photos for visual.
The BEAR^15 series explores the fluidity of identity and the impermanence of form through the creation of balloon bears—a symbol that, much like our own bodies, occupies a transient space, defined by air and form but always on the brink of transformation. The balloon bear, in its simplest essence, is air captured in a delicate, malleable membrane—a momentary embodiment of shape that mirrors the human experience of existing in a body that is both temporary and ever-changing.
By translating these ephemeral forms into ceramics through 3D modeling, 3D printing, and slip casting, I seek to capture and preserve a fleeting moment in time. The act of casting the balloon bear in clay serves as an anchoring of the impermanent into the realm of the tangible, much like the rituals and traditions in Korean funerals that aim to give shape and permanence to the transient journey of life and death. The balloon bears, once soft and yielding, become solidified in their form—capturing that brief moment where they exist in a defined space, much like how our bodies claim space during our lives.
Ceramic Bear
7.5” x 9” x 2.5”
BEAR^4, BEAR^5, BEAR^6 were a part of BEAR^15 series. BEAR^16 was not.
All BEAR^n backing designs allow for hanging. Reference photos for visual.
The BEAR^15 series explores the fluidity of identity and the impermanence of form through the creation of balloon bears—a symbol that, much like our own bodies, occupies a transient space, defined by air and form but always on the brink of transformation. The balloon bear, in its simplest essence, is air captured in a delicate, malleable membrane—a momentary embodiment of shape that mirrors the human experience of existing in a body that is both temporary and ever-changing.
By translating these ephemeral forms into ceramics through 3D modeling, 3D printing, and slip casting, I seek to capture and preserve a fleeting moment in time. The act of casting the balloon bear in clay serves as an anchoring of the impermanent into the realm of the tangible, much like the rituals and traditions in Korean funerals that aim to give shape and permanence to the transient journey of life and death. The balloon bears, once soft and yielding, become solidified in their form—capturing that brief moment where they exist in a defined space, much like how our bodies claim space during our lives.
SooMi Han is a Korean American multidisciplinary artist and independent curator based in Dallas, TX. They received a B.F.A. in Studio Art with a minor in Art History from SMU. Han has led workshops at The Fort Worth Modern, The Nasher Sculpture Center, Brookhaven College, and the Bathhouse Cultural Center. SooMi recently exhibited a piece with the Korean American Artist Association at the TRYST ART FAIR in Torrance, California. Their work has been recognized by D Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, The Dallas Observer, KERA, Glasstire, and Artnet.
