Collector piece No 1.
Dogabi Sculptural Jar No. 1 marks the beginning of Hyung Jun Kim’s mythic series—an early and essential work that sets the tone for what Dogabi would become. Hand-thrown and sculpted at THR Studio in South Korea, this one-of-a-kind piece embodies both humor and divinity. Its cyclopean gaze and leaf-like ears recall the forest spirits of Korean folklore, while its ivory glaze and golden accents lend it an unexpectedly gentle majesty.
Part creature, part vessel, it stands as a totem of imagination—equal parts guardian, goblin, and gleeful oddity.
This piece will be on view at Takamichi Beauty Room in New York on October 22.
WHY IT’S SPECIAL
Created from a clay formula developed exclusively at THR Studio, this jar exemplifies Kim’s constant material experimentation. The pure white stoneware body contrasts with deep green glazing and brilliant 23.5-karat gold detailing, producing a visual tension between innocence and power.
Unlike traditional ceramics, Dogabi pieces are not meant for function but for conversation—with the viewer, with folklore, with the invisible. Jar No. 1 introduces this language with mischievous clarity.
DETAILS
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Artist: Hyung Jun Kim
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Series: Dogabi Sculptural Jars
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No.: 1
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Size: 310 × 250 × 250 mm (≈ 12.2 × 9.8 × 9.8 in), ø 40 mm (≈ 1.6 in)
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Weight: 3500 g (≈ 7.7 lb)
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Material: Ceramic / Clay developed in THR Studio
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Method: Wheel Throwing, Sculpt
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Kiln Temperature: 2,282 °F (1,250 °C) Oxidation Firing / Glaze 1,472 °F (800 °C)
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Gold: 23.5 K
THE BRAND
Dogabi by Hyung Jun Kim
Drawing from the Korean dogabi—spirits said to inhabit everyday objects—Kim transforms clay into living myth. Each piece is individually thrown, carved, and glazed by hand, merging humor, spirit, and technical mastery. At once ancient and new, Dogabi bridges the supernatural and the tactile.
