About
Shannon “owo” Webb was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi. There she attended the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree focusing in ceramics. In 2023, Shannon received a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of Montana. She is currently a Long Term Artist in Residence at the Red Lodge Clay Center.
Artist Statement
My art is a process of finding a way of being in the world in order to find solace. A main method to this is reconnecting with my Korean heritage. I look into Korean customs, folklore, and mythology for inspiration. As someone who is hapa—in my case half Korean and white—a large aspect to my art is identity. I don’t see myself as solely Korean or white; I see myself as hapa, a mixed person. I embrace my mixed identity and understand that it places me in an odd position that is neither fully Korean nor white but somewhere in between. This space in between has a lot of potential, and I want to contribute to what it means to be mixed.
My mother is Korean, but I wasn’t raised speaking Korean or immersed in that culture. Instead, I was raised in a mixed cultural setting in Hawai‘i, filled with various Asian values, polytheism, Buddhism and Shintoism that have shaped me as a person. I recognize my estrangement from my heritage, so I look toward Korean culture to acknowledge that history and to be responsible as a descendant.
It would be hollow to attempt to replicate Korean traditions and customs, rather I adapt them to fit my needs, utilizing the resources I currently have. I often hybridize my own experiences with these traditions to create a new version. A central concept that I have adapted is the idea of making things ‘real’. Teachings are passed down through stories, which are made real through images and sculptures. We acknowledge these realities through practice that becomes ingrained in culture. What I create is part of that practice.
I make my beliefs real through ceramic and mixed media sculptures. My process starts by practicing reverence for the world through my own means. This could involve a specific interaction with the land, celebrating a celestial event, or a gesture of gratitude. I allude to the core concepts of such experiences through symbolic representation and metaphors. The result is sculpture that becomes a cultural marker telling part of my story. It's a lifelong cultural adjustment where I aim to be an active participant in the world and contribute to the culture of mixed-race people.