On the front cover of the catalogue for Collect 2014, the annual fair organised by the Crafts Council, is an intriguing shell-shaped metal sculpture – part Slinky, part oil-lamp, and very beautiful.
Kim Hyunju: Have a Dream III. Sterling silver, brass, 300 x 370 x 150mm. Photo KC Studio. At KCDF.
Wandering around to gallery number 3 on the ground floor, you come to the stall hosted by the Korea Craft and Design Foundation. And you discover that the item is by Korean metal artist Kim Hyunju (김현주). Kim is known for her sculptural oil-lamps, which often include mother-of-pearl, but since the recent unexpected death of her mother she has also produced a number of stunning urns as a memorial.
Kim Hyunju: on right: Pray I, II (copper, nickel, ottchil, mother of pearly); left: Remember 02, 04 (brass, aluminium, mother of pearl). At KCDF (photo: LKL)
Elsewhere on the KCDF stall there were works by artists familiar from last year: Chung Hae-cho (정해조), whose lacquerware has been collected by the V&A; and textile artist Chang Yeonsoon (장연순), who also has work at the V&A.
Kim Joon-yong: Green Flower. Glass, blown, coldworked. 290 x 290 x 270 mm. Photo: Choi Soonyung. At KCDF.
The work that most caught LKL’s attention were Kim Joonyong’s (김준용) flower-shaped glass bowls which seemed to glow in the light. The effect is reinforced by the use of soda glass to enhance the vibrancy of colour. Also generating some buzz were the stylish silver pots inspired by Korean water bottles from the 10th Century, by Jung Youngkuwan (sic. 정영관), and very tactile tableware from Royal College of Art graduate Park Joo-hyung (박주형).
Marbled Celadon Jar. Gwang Yeol Yu. LVS Gallery
One floor up, Gallery LVS were exhibiting traditional and contemporary ceramics in a variety of styles. The display was divided in two, one half focusing on more traditional styles, the other less constrained by the past. For me, the work that most stood out was the marbled celadon jars produced by Yu Gwang-yeol (유광렬) – a technique known as yeollimun (or yeonrimun, depending on your romanization preference – 연리문). That was certainly where my own lottery winnings would have been spent.
On the top floor, two Korean artists were collaborating in the Project Space – square glass panels undulating as if in a gentle breeze, but in fact urged into motion by tiny electric-powered pins. My mobile phone tried to capture some of the action.
Most of the photos below are courtesy of the Korean Craft and Design Foundation and Gallery LVS, though a couple are mine.
Youngim Lee: Bracelet 1. Photo by Myoungwook Heo. At KCDF
Yoensoon Chang. Matrix ll. Photo by Myungrea Park. At KCDF
Euijeong Yoo: Study of Contemporary Culture Form – Celadon Bottle in the Shape of P.E.T bottle. At KCDF
Suhyoon Kim. Bowl with pillar. Photo by KcStudio. At KCDF
Eui-jeong Yoo: Prayer I. At KCDF
Kyounghwa Jun. Harmony. Photo by Myoungwook Heo. At KCDF
Jina Sim. Place. Photo by Myoungwook Heo. At KCDF
Joo-hyung Park. Merging 4. At KCDF
Joo-hyung Park. Bowl with Fork. Photo by Myoungwook Heo. At KCDF
Kim Hyunju: Have a Dream III. Sterling silver, brass, 300 x 370 x 150mm. Photo KC Studio. At KCDF.
Kim Joon-yong: Green Flower. Glass, blown, coldworked. 290 x 290 x 270 mm. Photo: Choi Soonyung. At KCDF.
Youngkwan Jung. A Feeling of Nostalgia. Photo by Myoungwook Heo. At KCDF
Sunyoung Kim. Plant18-1 Necklace. Photo by KcStudio. At KCDF
Jeong-sun Choi. High red.20. Photo by Huhmyoung Wook. At KCDF
The more traditional ceramics at Gallery LVS (photo: LKL)
White Porcelain Vase. Hang Taek Lim. LVS Gallery.
Tianmu Teaware. Tae Han Kim + Pyung Kim. LVS Gallery.
Tianmu Teaware. Tae Han Kim + Pyung Kim. LVS Gallery
Bamboo. Se Yong Kim. LVS Gallery
Chrysanthemum. Se Yong Kim. LVS Gallery
Celadon Case with Baoxiang-hwa design. Gwang Yeol Yu. LVS Gallery.
Acorn Tree. Se Yong Kim. LVS Gallery
Marbled Celadon Jar. Gwang Yeol Yu. LVS Gallery
Large Tianmu Jar. Eun Gu Lee. LVS Gallery (photo: LKL)
Contemporary ceramics at Gallery LVS (photo: LKL)
Vase. Deok Ho Kim. LVS Gallery
Unite a. Deok Ho Kim. LVS Gallery
Vase. Kap Sun Hwang. LVS Gallery
Trace of Memory. Min Soo Lee. LVS Gallery.
Shadowed Color Bowl. In Hwa Lee. LVS Gallery
Moon oil lamp. Seong Chul Kim. LVS Gallery
White stone. Seong Chul Kim. LVS Gallery
Korean Dining Tableware Set2. Jae Jun Lee. LVS Gallery
Fade to Blue. Jung Honh Park. LVS Gallery
Song Min-jeong, and Jung Won-seok: Wave (2014). Collect Project Space (photo: LKL)
Song Min-jeong, and Jung Won-seok: Wave (2014). Collect Project Space (photo: LKL)
