Casa Julfa Presents….
Re Jin Lee - Ancestral Ceramics: Dal-hang-ari (Korean Moon Jars)
SPRING 2027 | Thurs April 22nd - Tues April 27th 2027
Participation fees: from €2395 - 2895 per person
Trip is limited to 6 people
This special trip led by Re Jin Lee draws together traditional pottery, nature and a slower way of doing things against the backdrop of Casa Julfa and the idyllic town & countryside that surrounds it.
Join us on a journey …
….through traditional & ancestral ways of working with clay, informed by nature's cycles;
In a place where people and the environment came to an understanding long ago.
Suitable for all levels
If you have been seeking time and space that will allow you to both rest and grow, to cultivate your creativity in a way that is more sustainable and aligned with your beliefs…
This experience is for you.
During this trip you will …
Learn the fundamental techniques of making Dal-hang-ari (moon Jars) with your hands and simple tools
Forage and process our local wild clay to make small, personalised trinkets and totemic objects.
Watch the magic that unfolds when we take the pieces out of the kiln when they are red hot and they undergo transformation.
Participate in the process of a traditional wood firing and working with naked Raku techniques like Obvara and horse-hair decoration.
Gain greater understanding of the physical and elemental process of firing usually masked by modern kilns and ceramic processes.
“As well as being aesthetically pleasing, the moon jar sheds light on Korean identity. They were first made during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). At that time, Korea followed the neo-Confucian belief system. Propagated by Chinese philosopher Confucius in the 6th to 5th Century BCE, the meditative Confucian ideals of simplicity, humbleness, modesty, purity and austerity had spread beyond China to Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
By the 17th and 18th Centuries, rather than perfection, naturalism and spontaneity were the preferred aesthetic. By then, it was about "the ability to accept the imperfections of nature, and appreciate the beauty in that, The moon jars epitomised this way of thinking. Because while they were minimal, they were not identical” Choi, Curator
Itinerary
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Arrivals and welcome dinner, time to sink into a slower pace and our beautiful backdrop which invites inspiration and reflection. Arrivals anytime from 14:00, we kindly ask that you arrive by 18:00.
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We will venture into nature in search of wild clay to harvest and prepare, and begin to create small pieces that, from start to finish, only your own hands have touched.
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After orienting around the town and visiting the local market, we will begin to create Dal-hang-ari from local wild clay and the historic Limoges clay.
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In the morning we will visit a nearby Brocante (antiques store) or Vide-Grenier (antiques market/flea market). We’ll complete the moon jars by early afternoon to begin the drying process while we discuss the process of firing and the possible decoration techniques.
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We will prepare your pieces to be fired as potters have for millennia, using ancestral wood-firing techniques handed down to Corinne through her Armenian kin. The firing will take place at a nearby lake/Nature reserve where we share a picnic-feast and watch our pieces transform before our eyes .
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Departures. Please arrange your departure time between 9:00am - 11:00 am from Montmorillon.
“What a rare treat to spend a few days away from home totally immersed in the process of making…I signed up for the early Spring Moon Jar workshop at Casa Julfa under the skilled and discreet guidance of Re Jin Lee, and hosted by the ever resourceful and inspiring Corinne Aivazian. I did not realise then that this retreat would impact me far more than simply being away from my own homely distractions to spend quality time in clay making bliss. The minute I stepped out of the Gare de Montmorillon, I was brought into a fold of buzzing energy. Creative minds working alongside each other, at times sharing, or in concentrated silence or meandering conversations. Corinne’s wealth of knowledge about ceramics, clay, the skies and everything in between is inspiring. While her openness, flexibility and total willingness to go with the flow of ideas, weather, time and the rotation of the earth is absolutely contagious. At Casa Julfa, I found a place to lose oneself in wonder and daydream with hands and feet firmly planted on the ground… possibly squishing it, coiling it and shaping it.”
Alexandra Azzarello (Paris, France) - Moon Jars Participant Spring 2025
More about your hosts …
Re Jin & Casa Julfa founder Corinne Aivazian met as part of a Terra Ancestral research and development in Mexico some years ago, where they instantly connected. They spent hours musing over the ways that clay had helped them reclaim their ancestry and make sense of their diasporadic identities.
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A native of São Paulo, Brazil, and of South Korean heritage, Re Jin Pronounced: Re-jeen Lee - /ˈre.dʒɪŋ/ , /li:/ draws inspiration from the amalgamation of modern Brazilian architecture, such as the works of Oscar Niemeyer and Lina Bo Bardi, Portuguese colonial architecture, and traditional Korean arts. .
Re Jin Lee’s work is a unique assembly of individually rolled-out clay slabs and coils created by a 'hand and clay' collaboration inspired by the contemplative process of ceramics and belief in the power of simplicity.
She is also founder of Naiana Nami , a creative space that bridges traditional and modern artistic expressions, encouraging a return to hands-on artistry. We aim to deepen appreciation for heritage, sustainability, and the positive impact of creativity.
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Corinne is Founder of Casa Julfa & Terra Ancestral, she is an artist , writer and researcher who works with clay to investigate historical narratives that have the power to insight change in the present.
Her work is heavily informed by her Armenian heritage and the pre-christian cultural and spiritual practices of her ancestors practised in their indigenous lands of the fertile crescent and SWANA region.