Frieze Seoul 2024, held from September 4-7 at COEX, in the Gangnam district, was a vibrant hub of contemporary art showcasing over 110 galleries. Chaumet, a luxury jewelry brand launched its lounge at Frieze Seoul with their Bee My Love collection, unveiling an iconic honeycomb motif artwork. This work captured my attention and led me to seek out the artist. Heechan Kim, an object maker, is known for his works reflecting the intricate geometries in nature. In a written interview conducted on September 27, Kim shared his creative journey, inspirations, and processes behind his captivating creations.
Could you share the early influences in your life that shaped your path?
I've always loved creating processes, such as drawing, painting, and sculpting. This passion naturally made me realize that art is my calling. Hence, I chose to attend an art-focused middle and high school, which helped me develop good foundation skills.
Your sculptures often resemble organic forms such as hives and seed pods. Can you elaborate on the process of translating these organic forms into art?
My art explores new forms. Since ancient times, people have crafted various objects for survival, all the while finding unique ways to work with various materials. Today, we can create anything with 3D printing, prompting me to question the essence of creation. My art is my way of reconnecting our lost bond with nature. I've studied how nature shapes things, so I developed a system that allows me to share control of form-giving with materials. I function as a navigator of the process, and the outcome is artwork that resembles natural forms.
How has your cultural background and the places you've lived influenced your artistic expression?
My work naturally reflects my culture and heritage, specifically, my attitude toward material and visual sensibilities.
Your works often exhibit a unique blend of materials and textures. Can you walk us through the process of selecting and experimenting with different mediums?
I naturally combine metal and wood because of my background in Jewelry and Metal work for my undergraduate, and furniture design for my graduate studies. Those are my comfort zone. For this sculpture series, I've used metal wire stitching, inspired by boat and canoe construction, where you use metal to temporarily hold bent wood in the boat-making process.
In terms of materials and techniques, how do you balance innovation with tradition in your creative process?
My journey in exploring forms began during my graduate studies. I was captivated by functional objects' way of communicating their purpose through their form. I delved into traditional crafting methods, which are a testament to human survival and also a source of material knowledge. Furthermore, I discovered that these age-old techniques offer numerous possibilities in shaping objects. Often, one form is chosen to meet the function the most, but by rearranging the hierarchy between function and form, I can pursue other form-giving possibilities of certain techniques. This led to innovative ways of manipulating materials, combining different techniques to open the door to innovative form-giving. For instance, my recent works draw inspiration from various crafts such as boat building, leather working, barrel making, basketry, and visual mending,
The commissioned work for Chaumet’s Bee My Love collection at Frieze Seoul 2024 has garnered much attention. Could you describe the conceptualization process behind this project?
Chaumet and I share a similar approach, especially in our craftsmanship. To me, it's more about the attitude towards the act of making than the object itself. My use of wood and metal and their seamless integration is much like Chaumet's blend of metals and gems. In terms of the forms, I kept the bee hives in mind when I created the work, and I picked walnut for its dark rich chocolate color, which complements Chaumet's signature pallet of gold and French blue.
The technique of layering wood strips without permanent adhesive is unique. What led you to develop this method of crafting ‘breathing sculptures’, and how does it reflect your philosophy as an artist?
It is a part of the system that allows materials to be on the driver's seat, which allows me to do an intuitive and spontaneous form-making process.
How do you balance functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability when creating pieces?
These sculptures aren't technically functional. However, I believe, that because I synthesized many techniques that are originally meant for functional object making, the trace of function still remains in its final form and surface texture. As a maker, I believe that craftsmanship is the key to sustainability. Especially now, everyone must be accountable for what we create and put out to the world.
What advice would you like to offer to aspiring artists who draw inspiration from nature, as you do?
Curiosity is the most significant thing you want to nurture. It all starts there.
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