By Honorary Reporter Seema Thomas from India
Photos = Kim Heechan

This year's Freize Seoul, an international art fair held from Sept. 4-7, featured the "Bee My Love" collection featuring an iconic honeycomb motif artwork jointly made by object maker Kim Heechan and artisan jewelry company Chaumet.

Known for works that reflect intricate geometry in nature, Kim earned a bachelor's in fine arts from Seoul National University and studied metal arts and jewelry at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. He eventually pursued a master's in fine arts at Rochester Institute of Technology in the U.S.

He has conducted numerous workshops in the U.S. and Seoul and served on the faculty of City College of New York from 2016-23 and at Parsons the New School since 2017. His work has won awards like the grand prize at the 2013 Cheongju International Craft Biennale and Artist of the Fair Award at this year's Collect Art Fair in London.

The following are excerpts from a Sept. 27 email interview with Kim.

Kim Heechan and his latest work in collaboration with Chaumet for this year's Frieze Seoul

What were the early influences that shaped your artistic path?
I've always loved creative processes such as drawing, painting and sculpting. Hence, I chose to attend art-focused middle and high schools, which helped me develop good foundational skills. My work naturally reflects my culture and heritage, specifically, my attitude toward material and visual sensibilities.

Your sculptures often have organic forms such as hives and seed pods. Describe your process of translating such forms into art.
Since ancient times, people have crafted objects for survival while finding unique ways to work with materials. Today, we can create anything with 3D printing, leading me to question the essence of creation. My art seeks to reconnect people's lost bond with nature.

Kim Heechan's sculptures mimic natural structures like hives and seed pods and are crafted from materials like ash, steel wire and reclaimed wood.

In materials and techniques, how do you balance innovation with tradition?
My exploration of form began as a graduate student. I was captivated by the way functional objects communicated their purpose through their form. I delved into traditional crafting methods and discovered how they offer numerous possibilities in shaping objects. For instance, my recent works were inspired by crafts such as boat building, leather working, barrel making, basketry and visual mending,

How did you conceptualize your collaboration with Chaumet at Frieze Seoul?
Chaumet and I share a similar approach especially in craftsmanship. For me, it's more about the attitude toward 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 form, I kept the bee hives in mind when creating the work and picked walnut for its dark rich chocolate color, which complemented Chaumet's signature pallet of gold and French blue.

A closer view shows the technique of metal wire stitching used in Kim Heechan's recent work.

How do you balance functionality, aesthetics and sustainability in your works?
My sculptures aren't technically functional. But because I synthesized many techniques originally meant for making functional objects, the trace of function 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 they create and put out in the world.

What advice do you have for aspiring artists inspired by nature like you?
Curiosity is the most significant thing you want to nurture. It all starts there.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.