Life & Work with Henry Oh of Koreatown, Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Henry Oh.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My artistic journey started during the pandemic. Although I’m realizing my life experiences before COVID also influence my current practice, I never pursued making or being an artist until about 2021–2022. I was working as a commercial film producer for Korean clients and agencies, and then the pandemic gave me the unique opportunity to really think about what it is I wanted to do. The whole essential vs. non-essential talk, mixed with some existential crisis and dealing with quarantine, had me reconsidering what I wanted out of life — and that all led me back to school. What started as just taking a couple of classes at my local community college, LACC (Los Angeles City College), snowballed into getting my first bachelor’s degree and now starting my master’s program, while finally being able to tap into the creative itch and curiosities I’d suppressed while stuck in my day-to-day, high-demand work life.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I was dealing with a lot of doubt and waves of imposter syndrome — which I feel like never truly goes away, you just get better at dealing with it. Financial struggles were a big one, going from working full-time to being a full-time student artist. There was also the insecurity and shame of having to take a step back and, what felt like at the time, starting all over.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an artist and art educator. I mainly work in ceramics, but I also like to work with other mediums to create sculptures and installations that direct people to take an extra step — crouching, sitting, bending down, leaning in, looking up, looking down. I like to think of it as the way children move through a playground. There’s something playful about that first interaction, but it opens up room for deeper reflection the longer you sit with the work.
Lately, I’ve been taking familiar objects and placing them in different contexts — either nestled into wooden structures, or just sitting openly on top of a surface — questioning how we land on ideas like use versus display, intimacy versus distance, making versus meaning.
A lot of it comes back to this innate pull I have toward Korean forms and culture, even though so much of it still feels foreign to me. I imagine it’s similar to the urge some people have to seek out birth parents or family members they’ve never met.
As far as what I’m proud of — I never really give myself flowers, but I’d say I’m pretty proud of my commitment to this journey over the last 5–6 years, despite not having a clear path or finish line in sight, and never letting my self-doubt outweigh my desire to keep going.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I think kindness goes a long way. As simple as it may sound, just being kind is a lot easier than being an asshole, and makes it easier for people to want to work with and be around you. I think it’s also worth asking questions and being curious about people. Being open to new opportunities and meeting new people, even if it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ohnotho.com
• Instagram: @hankbastard