OTT Korean glaze

Recycling spent ceramics back into production is an important aim to increase the sustainability of mass produced tableware and tiles. Though we’ve covered the work of Hanneke de Leeuw of Fabrique Pu which makes use of discarded vases, mugs, and plates, today’s feature takes the process a step further.

The unstable nature of glazed ceramics complicates recycling as the fired materials become impure. Finding a way to draw pure earth from glazed pieces led material researcher Seok-hyeon Yoon towards Ott.

A traditional Korean lacquering technique, Ott gets its name from a tree. The Ott tree’s natural resin has historically been used to glaze wood, but is a viable option for ceramics. Most importantly, the Ott glaze doesn’t need to be baked into the ceramics and will evaporate with the heat of a kiln, making it much easier to re-obtain raw earth.

Studio Yoon Seok-hyeon has been experimenting with the possibilities and varied aesthetics achievable with Ott since 2019 with pieces demonstrating stunning ombre effects, deep pigment, and artistic strokes.

In 2020 a collaboration with Studio Mixtura, their combined glaze experimentation (Seok-hyeon’s Ott, and Studio Mixtura’s mineral residue glazing) led to the creation of OttFORZ – a series of exclusive art pieces highlighting the possibilites of sustainable glazes.