June holiday assignment.
1st Designer: Yong Joo Kim.
Brief Biography:
Yong Joo Kim is a South Korean Jeweler who lives and works in Providence, RI , United States. The core of her work is to produce beautiful pieces using normal everyday materials; mainly Velcro. She says, “My investigation of creation, innovation, and transformation questions the definition of value, and provides a never-ending field for invention.” I have found this claim to be evidenced as true in her work. She began her training in Korea at, Sook Myung Women’s University Seoul, Korea where she attained a BFA in Arts and Crafts in 2004. She later attained an MFA in Jewellery and Metalsmithing at Rhode Island School of Design in 2009. Some of her work is currently exhibited in museums; and she has received several awards and grants giving credit to her talent as a designer.
WORK:
1st piece:
Yong Joo Kim
Neckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped and Linked 2011
Velcro
12 x 16 x 4
http://yongjookim.com/2011/
What attracted me to this piece is the number of principles it exhibits at a glance. Rhythm, balance, dominance, proportion and contrast being the outstanding ones to me. The neckpiece exhibits a wonderful sense of energy and movement. This is due to the way the ‘circles’ are linked at such differing angles and points. The designer achieved a pleasing rhythm with this placing. The way the neckpiece appears balanced is due to the way the designer placed the smaller parts of the neckpiece at the top and the bigger parts of the neckpiece at the bottom. This appeals to our sense of what should be up and what should be down. Putting the smaller parts on top and the bigger ones at the bottom also serves as a focal point. I find that as my eyes take in the neckpiece, they are always guided back to the biggest part of the neckpiece. It sort of dominates the piece because of its bigger size. All this invites the viewer’s eye to make a complete circle around the neckpiece, increasing its chances of being perceived as beautiful. I find that the repetition of similar shapes creates a pattern which is prevented from becoming boring by the use of contrasting colors in the piece. The designer uses a dark neutral color with a light one, the two different tones serving to accentuate the piece’s attraction.
2nd Piece:
Yong Joo Kim
Bracelet: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Rounded, Aligned and Twisted #2 2011
Velcro, thread
3.75 x 4 x 1”
Bracelet: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Rounded, Aligned and Twisted #2 2011
Velcro, thread
3.75 x 4 x 1”
Initially I did not find this bangle that engaging, I thought it was a bit boring due to the rather dull colors used the contrast in them is not being enough to suit my taste. As soon as I forgot about that however I became rather fascinated with the direction of the components of the bangle. They are vertical with a slight curve at top and gradually change to give a sense of them going upside down. This creates some sort of rhythm together with the random but fitting rhythm the colors create. My eyes are continuously drawn to the point on the piece where it “twists” I like how the piece appears balanced in spite of the twist. The twist does not disorient my viewing of the piece but rather just makes it more interesting to me. I appreciate how in spite of the fact that it’s made from ordinary non-precious materials it looks like something I would purchase. Yong Soo Kim repeats the same basic rectangular shape to create a pattern that closely resembles sheets of paper pressed together. I find that there is harmony in the colors used due to their similar tone, the use of the same shape also contributes to the feeling of harmony. There is very little variation in the piece; the colors used themselves being the main evidence of variation.
3rd Piece:
Yong Joo Kim
Broocht: Reconfiguring the Ordinary
Velcro, thread
Broocht: Reconfiguring the Ordinary
Velcro, thread
I like the strong sense of direction that this brooch exhibits. The radial lines that form the base of the brooch contrast nicely with the sudden vertical and diagonal lines in the middle. The unanticipated vertical/diagonal lines bring a welcome change of rhythm from the round and round and round again lines of the base. The curved top tip of the vertical/diagonal line dominates the piece. I find the curved top tip quite charming in how it almost starts to resemble an upturned tailJ There is very little contrast in colors which I think is quite fitting because had there been a striking color contrast, it would have been competing with the contrast in direction. The infusion a lighter color (grey) keeps the brooch from becoming too monotonous. The way the vertical part is placed generally in the middle of the circular lines makes the brooch to appear balanced despite the contrasting directions. The way the vertical lines are closer to the bottom instead of the top, lends the brooch a sense of top and bottom. The brooch appears to be made of individually formed sheets placed together; their proximity to each other lends such a feeling of oneness, such that you perceive the brooch as whole and not separate components close together. I think this brooch does indeed look like a cute find, something that can become precious to the owner which goes with Yong Joo Kim’s claim of decomposing and composing an ordinary item into a semi precious item.
Bibliography:
Contemporary craft: www.contemporarycraft.org/The....Yong.../Yong%20Joo20%Kimpdf
Website: http://yongjookim.com/2011/
Her blog: http://blog.yongjookim.com/
All images used:
Designer's website: http://yongjookim.com/2011/
Quote: Artist Statement from http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=23278
Wonderful Eileen!
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