Last week, I introduced why I've driven in my post Why my Career is Culture
and the moments that really get me up in the morning. Over the last 15 months, my partner and I have been helping the UNESCO city of Icheon, South Korea figure out how to develop culturally- how to best recognize their local resources and turn them into productive assets for the city. Before diving deep into any nitty gritty consultation talk and discussion, I wanted to share some gems of our time there. There are just some people in this world that don't receive enough recognition and for me, people who maintain the value of cultural work are among personal heroes.
Master Hand of Korea
Jasper Choi is one of those people, quietly supporting the responsibility of traditional art on his shoulders. He has become the international ambassador of Korean ceramics, investing his time and energy in foreign workshops, visits, and lectures.
A Space of Inspiration
Choi is one of a handful of “Master Hands” in Korea, makers at the top of their craft. He spends most of his time refining each minute cut of his skill and on weekends, holds public classes for children and neighbors. He is always happy to give a tour of his humble studio for the curious and if you're lucky, he'll be accompanied by his adorable granddaughters who have inherited the warmest of characters.
Humor is Essential
But with every hero, there is the villain. Each day moving forward, traditional work such as this is diminishing in every country. We're becoming more tech-centric and less hands-on. My collaborator @voronoi recently wrote a great post on Steemit's value to artists and practitioners Value in Process that outlines the real need in today’s world to showcase the effort and creative process that designers go through. The value in creativity is not only the final work itself, but also the impact of that work on a society.
Carving Out a History
The great challenge for creative work is conforming to a state of “clickability” that fits snugly into tour guides and Buzzfeeds, capturable in a single Instagram photo. It's almost impossible to convey the introspective wisdom and value of work in this venue- devoid of process, personal experience, or conversation.
No Small Feat
No Time to Waste
What do you think? What role does traditional practice have today?
A Piece of Korean History
Thanks for reading! With our personal relationship with Professor Choi, we’ll be putting any Steem dollars we raise in this article to expanding his practice and impact. Thank you for the support!