AAM 001

Koo Bohnchang is one of the few well-established contemporary photographers in Korea. This work is part of his series inspired by a magazine photograph of Austrian-born potter Lucie Rie (1902–1995) sitting beside a large moon jar. Koo was intrigued by the relationships formed between the human figure and the jar. He discovered the lifelike, vibrant qualities of Korean moon jars, as did connoisseurs and collectors in the early twentieth century in Korea. Since seeing that photograph in the late 1980s, Koo has traveled the world to photograph moon jars. The photograph here was intentionally printed in black and white to accentuate subtle changes in the jar as it ages. It invites comparison to aspects of the moon jar in the collection of the Asian Art Museum (B60P110+) not easily appreciated with the naked eye or in standard color photos.