Miae Kim

Miae began working with clay after a long career in the film industry as an animator and visual effects artist in Los Angeles. She did not encounter clay until later in life, but its tactile and transformative nature captivated her immediately. She pursued formal training at Glendale College in L.A., completing a ceramics programme in 2018 before establishing a home studio. She moved to London in 2020, where she now lives and works.

Her practice centres on hand-built ceramic boxes. What began as simple square forms with puzzle-cut lids has evolved into a deeper exploration of form and surface. Miae uses slab construction, inlay, and sgraffito carving over painted terra sigillata, alongside hand-painted glazes enhanced with custom decals, to create layered and detailed surfaces.

Conceptually, Miae’s work explores a dialogue between East and West. Drawing on her South Korean heritage, she combines traditional Korean palace and temple motifs with Western minimalism. More recently, she has incorporated Hangul script, selecting words for both their meaning and visual rhythm, allowing language itself to become pattern, narrative, and a bridge between cultures.