김창대
Kim Changdae

“Handmade roof tiles, made from the three elements of water, fire, and earth, are greatly affected by the weather, so the kiln cannot be fired on windy or rainy days. After much hardship, the freshly baked tiles take on a mysterious gray color. They hold a day, and they hold the four seasons. . . .”—excerpt from an interview with the artist

Kim Changdae is a holder of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of jewajang (roof tile making). He participates in the restoration and repair of national cultural heritage sites such as Sungnyemun Gate, Changdeokgung Palace, and Jongmyo Shrine, contributing to the preservation and transmission of the traditional roof tile-making craft. Roof tiles are structural elements that cover the roofs of traditional buildings and protect the wooden structure beneath, and they also embody the soul of the craftsman. In Korea, roof tiles were produced in earnest starting from the Three Kingdoms period, with their shapes and production techniques varying by era. During the Joseon Dynasty, decorative roof tiles (such as crowns, dragon heads, and various figurines to ward off evil spirits) were placed on the roofs of major buildings such as palaces and government offices to indicate a building’s status. Traditional handmade roof tiles are crafted through a lengthy process and come in a variety of colors, unlike machine-made roof tiles, which are uniform in shape and solidity and monotonous in color. Moreover, traditional handmade roof tiles are superior to machine-made tiles when it comes to preventing freezing and condensation. In this exhibition, Kim Changdae attempts to restore the history of the site where the Seoul Museum of Craft Art is located. By reproducing old roof tiles based on archives related to the Anguk-dong Secondary Palace and records from the repair process, he revives the history and memories of the museum site. Through the ornate decorative roof tiles, we can gauge the status that Anguk-dong Secondary Palace must have had at the time, and by appreciating the existing architectural components, we can recall the lost history recreated by architecture.