About the artist:

Before studying jewellery at the Adelaide School of Art, Shine Myung-ok Shin trained in Korea as fashion designer. In 1997, while completing her Bachelor of Fine Art at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, she was introduced to enamelling.

During her Master’s research degree completed in 2003 she developed new enamelling techniques to apply to her research into Australian and Korean motifs.

About the work:

Shine Myung-ok Shin uses aspects of Koreans tea culture to explore cultural personality. She crafts each object with the same sensitivity and sense of purpose required in the preparation of the tea ritual.

Her vessels are constructed as objects of contemplation and although following the traditional forms of Korean tea sets (Chagi), they are not intended to be utilitarian.

Two Worlds, 2003
Photo etched oxidised copper, silk thread,
red enamel with black decal
4 x 4.1 x 4.1cm (Korean floral teacup)
3.6 x 3.8 x 3.8cm (Hun-min Chung-um teacup)
2.7 x 4.5 x 4.5cm (Han-gul, Korean language, teacup)
18.5 x 12 x 12cm (teapot)
Collection: the artist
Courtesy: Studio Ingot

Pinnacle (green kangaroo), 2003
Photo etched oxidised copper, enamel
7.7 x 4.2 x 4.2cm
Collection: the artist
Courtesy: Studio Ingot