Artist Jean Shin has created "Celadon Landscape," a monumental installation at the Green-House at Green-Wood in New York, using nearly two tons of discarded celadon porcelain fragments donated by studios in Icheon, South Korea. The work features two large bulbous vessels covered in broken shards of cups, saucers, and pots, appearing to emerge from the earth as if unearthed in an archaeological dig. The installation is on view through January 17.
This work matters because Shin transforms discarded industrial waste into a powerful metaphor for the Korean diaspora, exploring themes of fragmentation, repair, and cultural memory. By elevating broken celadon—a material with deep roots in Korean history dating to the 10th century—she challenges traditional notions of value and perfection, reframing imperfection as beauty and resilience. The installation also highlights the relationship between consumption, environmental care, and community, connecting contemporary art practice to centuries-old craft traditions.