Jiye Heo (b. 1985) is a Seoul-based ceramic and installation artist, as well as a curator and spatial practitioner. Working primarily with clay and found objects, she views the acts of hand-molding, firing, and spatial arrangement as a form of rewriting — an ongoing dialogue with memory, time, and place. Currently pursuing a doctoral degree in ceramics at Kyung Hee University, Heo’s work bridges rigorous theoretical inquiry and poetic sensibility, resulting in a practice that is both intellectually grounded and emotionally resonant.
At the core of her artistic exploration is a fascination with how personal memory transforms into spatial perception. She is particularly drawn to sites marked by the passage of time — spaces where traces of emotion remain. For Heo, clay is a material that speaks directly to time: soft and malleable when wet, yet irreversible once fired. This transformation mirrors the way memory solidifies through experience, and the unpredictability of the process reflects her philosophical meditation on life’s inherent uncontrollability.
Beyond the object itself, Heo places great emphasis on context and viewer experience. She frequently engages in curatorial and site-specific practices, investigating how art can inhabit the overlooked gaps of cities and daily life. Her recent solo exhibitions include Space Bestowed (2024, Chamber, Seoul) and Re-Record (2023, Humor Sense), alongside appearances at major exhibitions and art fairs such as This Space, That Place (Daelim Museum of Art), BAMA, and The Preview.
Heo’s work is visually quiet and meticulously detailed, yet it holds deep inquiries into time, memory, and existence. Her ceramics and installations blend handcrafted intimacy with narrative layers, making them ideal for public spaces, architectural integration, and contemporary reflections on aesthetics and lived experience.
Currently completing her doctoral research in ceramics at Kyung Hee University, she holds both a Master’s and Bachelor's degree in the arts. Her work is included in collections of cultural institutions in Hong Kong, private art collectors, and art-architecture commissions — existing at the intersection of art, space, and daily life. Her pieces are not only collectible, but also serve as catalysts for evoking personal memory and sensory awareness in the viewer.
