Korean ceramic incense holder · Icheon · Metallic bronze glaze

Korean ceramic incense holder hand-formed in Icheon, South Korea's UNESCO-designated ceramics capital. A three-legged oval dish with a textured, organic surface and metallic bronze and gold glaze, paired with a separate green stone-shaped holder for incense sticks. The wide shallow dish collects ash whilst evoking the natural world - stones, sand, water. Each piece is unique, shaped in wood-fired kilns using traditional Korean techniques.

The Craft. These pieces are shaped using high-temperature firing techniques developed over centuries, with wood-fired kilns producing the distinctive glazes. The artisan experiments constantly with glazes to create surfaces that evoke natural elements such as stones, sand or waves. Each piece is hand-formed, with the irregular shape and metallic finish making every incense holder unique. The separate stone-shaped holder is crafted to securely position incense sticks whilst complementing the organic aesthetic of the dish.

The Heritage. Earthenware production began in the Korean peninsula about 10,000 years ago, with high-temperature firing techniques developing during the Three Kingdoms period. By the 9th century, Korea became the second country in the world to produce celadon and white porcelain after China. Icheon has been at the centre of Korean ceramics for more than 1000 years, its masters supplying ceramics to the royal family for over five hundred years during the Joseon kingdom. Designated UNESCO Creative City, Icheon is today home to more than 400 workshops and 40 traditional kilns, where recognised 'master hands' dedicate their lives to protecting Korea's ceramics culture alongside emerging artisans who give the tradition a modern touch.

The Maker. Jho Soo Kyung, who presents as Orem, creates objects of use by finding inspiration in the natural world around her. Constantly experimenting with glazes, marvellous objects that evoke elements in nature come out of her hands and wood-fired kilns, bridging traditional Korean ceramic techniques with contemporary design sensibilities.