Listening Cup

Two things happened recently, which gave me an idea.

First, I came across a Korean news article about Joseon-era “two-eared” tea cups which were discovered, all damaged and with their “ears” broken. The design looked carefree. Typically, these teacups are not overly detailed. I think the potter decorated it simply according to the season. I thought about how people must have enjoyed drinking from those cups, and how in those times, they could naturally focus on the present moment and enjoy it deeply.

Later on, while I was in the midst of making these cups, I saw a screening of a Pauline Oliveros documentary about “Deep Listening” at a performance space in Brooklyn. Pauline Oliveros said this about the practice of Deep Listening: “The more I listen the more I learn to listen… [it] involves going below the surface of what is heard, expanding to the whole field of sound while finding focus.”

I found a thread of connection between these ideas, and put them together to come up with the name Listening Cups.

The cups are made with stoneware clay, designed for use as everyday tableware. The form is suitable for both tea and spirits. The decorations are based on natural motifs, such as the seasons, similar to the theme of the original teacups.