TIME BEFORE AND TIME AFTER

Mimi is an award-winning ceramic artist originally from South Korea, now based in London. She trained as a ceramist and artist at the Fine Art department in Wonkwang University, South Korea and the Royal College Of Art, United Kingdom.

Mimi's pieces are held in prestigious public and private collections. Notable exhibitions include the Collect by Cavaliero Finn in the Somerset House in London (2020-24), Deep Breathing at Echo Ohorano in Kyoto, and the New Craftsman Gallery, in UK. She also exhibits at the Museum of Siegburg in Germany where she was awarded the ceramics price.

This wall art piece plays in multiple ways with shadows of Yes and No. Mimi Joung, the artist, explores the quiet tension between affirmation and negation, repeating the simple words “Yes” and “No” written in porcelain slip.

The piece, rendered in varying shades of grey, is inspired by the understated elegance of the Korean monochrome movement, Dansaekhwa. This post-war movement sought to reconcile the influx of Western modernism with Korean artistic traditions, grappling with questions of identity, belonging, and the passage of time. Through repetitive patterns and gestures, artists within Dansaekhwa aimed to create a universal aesthetic—one that belonged to no one, yet spoke to all.

Mimi’s work delves deeply into the emotions and relationships that shape our lives, with each form emerging from her personal reflections on these connections. The repetition of “Yes” and “No” in this piece becomes a meditative exercise, inviting viewers to consider the power the shortest and hardest but perhaps also most powerful words in our language.

As you look at her work, she asks you to not simply enjoy the form but also to reflect on your own emotional response. What makes us feel ready to say yes and what drives us to say no? Is life black and white or a more subtle reflection on transience and beauty?

Hand-built with care
Material: Porcelain
Process: Words written and formed into a sculpture, fired and glazed
Type: Unique art work w/ Certificate of Authenticity