Guest Faculty Lecture: Jess T. Dugan & Yoonjee Kwak

Jul 25, 2023 7PM-8PM

Schermer Meeting Hall

Sunday and Tuesday evenings, June through September, the Ranch features a 60-minute presentation by distinguished faculty members and Visiting Artists. These insightful talks dive into inspiration, the creative process and more.

Guest Faculty Lectures are free, open to the public, and available in person or via livestream. Registration is required for attendance. All on-campus workshop participants will be pre-registered for this event.

Panel

Jess T. Dugan

Jess T. Dugan is an artist and writer whose work explores the complexities of personhood, relationships, desire, love, and family. Their work has been widely exhibited and is in the permanent collections of over 60 museums throughout the United States.

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YoonJee Kwak

Originally from South Korea, YoonJee Kwak is an artist and educator who has exhibited internationally and participated in numerous artist residencies and teaching workshops. She was a long-term resident at the Archie Bray Foundation and Pottery Northwest. She holds an MFA in Ceramics from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a BFA in Ceramics and Glass from Hong-Ik University in Seoul. Kwak’s work draws on a Korean metaphor that describes a person’s character as a “vessel” of tolerance and depth, while exploring contemporary themes of openness and human connection. Her work has been recognized with honors including the James Renwick Alliance Chrysalis Award, Ceramics Monthly’s Emerging Artist Award, and a 2024 Teaching Artist Cohort grant from the Center for Craft. Her pieces have been featured in major international biennials, including those in Icheon and Cheongju, Korea, and Jingdezhen, China. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of Ceramics in the School of Art and Art History and Design at the University of Iowa.

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