Exhibition on view March 11 - April 28, 2024
Reception: March 15, 5-7pm - RSVP to join us for the free reception
Gallery 224 at the Ceramics Program, Office for the Arts at Harvard

Namhi Kim Wagner (1923-2023) was a passionate ceramic artist who enhanced the Boston arts scene with her creative energy and bold, modern expressions inspired by the rich history of Korean ceramics. Born in Korea, raised in Japan, and returning to Korea before emigrating to the United States, she taught Korean Language at Harvard University from 1964-1995, becoming the first director of its Korean Language Program. The “Namhi Kim Wagner Korean Language Prize” was established in 2022 to honor her legacy.

Often teaching all day and staying up all night to perfect her craft, she connected to her origins by mastering Korean traditional ceramic techniques, most notably the slip decoration and sgraffiti of 15-16th century Buncheong ware.

Namhi Kim Wagner has exhibited internationally and her work is in the collections of the Harvard Art Museums and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. This memorial exhibition presents a wide range of ceramics from her prolific career.