Maya Frodeman Gallery is pleased to present The Shape of Remembering, a solo exhibition of ceramic works by Jane Yang D’Haene. Long centered on memory, Yang-D'Haene's practice understands it not as a fixed narrative but as an accumulation of fragments—gestures, sensations, surfaces, and emotional traces—that quietly shape our understanding of ourselves. The works in this exhibition give material form to these lingering impressions, asking not what happened, but what remains.
The vessel continues to serve as the foundation of Yang-D'Haene's work. Inspired originally by the Korean moon jar, she treats the vessel as a metaphor for the body—something that holds, protects, and preserves experience. In this exhibition, that longstanding investigation expands through a new series of wall paintings. While distinct from the vessels, these paintings extend the same inquiry into memory, repetition, and time, offering a more immediate translation of the artist's inner thoughts through layered surfaces and rhythmic marks.
Through carving, glazing, and an expanded use of color, Yang-D’Haene continually pushes the material beyond expectation, embracing experimentation and the inherent unpredictability of porcelain and stoneware. Each work begins with an idea, but the process itself remains open, allowing chance and material transformation to guide the final result. For Yang-D'Haene, there are no mistakes in ceramics—only opportunities for discovery.
As Hyeyoung Cho writes in the exhibition’s catalogue essay, "Clay has become that language—a medium through which memory, vulnerability, and resilience are given form." This understanding resonates throughout the exhibition, where material becomes a means of exploring the emotional weight of lived experience. Rather than illustrating personal history, Yang-D'Haene's works evoke the universal experience of carrying memories—our own and those inherited through family, culture, loss, and love.
With The Shape of Remembering, Jane Yang-D'Haene continues to expand the language of contemporary ceramics, creating works that exist between vessel and sculpture, painting and object, remembrance and becoming. The exhibition invites viewers into a contemplative space where memory is understood not as something retrieved from the past, but as a living presence that continues to shape who we are.
Jane Yang-D’Haene, born in South Korea, is a distinguished ceramic artist renowned for her masterful fusion of cultural heritage and avant-garde artistry. After relocating to New York City in 1984, she honed her architectural skills at the Cooper Hewitt School of Architecture from 1988 to 1992, later refining her design expertise at a leading architectural firm. In 2017, Yang-D’Haene embarked on her artistic journey into ceramics, quickly establishing herself as a significant force in the medium. Her work intricately engages with traditional Korean ceramic forms, using them as a foundation for bold experimentation. By integrating contemporary techniques, vibrant colors, and dynamic textures, she creates sculptural vessels that challenge the boundaries between art and design. Since 2020, Yang-D’Haene has participated in over 50 exhibitions, marking a significant expansion of her artistic reach. The acquisition of her Moon Jar reinterpretations by the Harvard Art Museum, along with pieces acquired by the Brooklyn Museum and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, highlights her role in redefining this classic form. Yang-D’Haene’s accolades affirm her ability to bridge historical and modern narratives, inviting reflection on the evolving dialogue between tradition and innovation in contemporary art. Her work continues to resonate deeply, reflecting the importance of cultural narratives in today's artistic landscape. Yang-D’Haene lives and works in New York City.
