Meeting of Korean Artisans and Italian Designers... '2022 Milano Korean Craft Exhibition' Held

Exhibition at Milan Feltrinelli from June 7 to 12
22 Artists, 100 Works Displayed
Kim Taehoon, Director of Gongjinwon: "An Exhibition Expanding the Horizon of Korean Craft"

Dancheong Seven Chair_Dancheong_Jeong Jaena_460x510x760. Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Korean craft artisans are showcasing collaborative works with world-renowned design masters and Italian designers to the global market.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft & Design Foundation announced on the 30th that the '2022 Milan Korean Craft Exhibition' will be held from the 7th to the 12th of next month during Milan Design Week.

This exhibition marks its 10th anniversary this year. It is especially meaningful as it unveils the first collaborative project with Italy. Designers and artisans from both countries communicated through video conferencing platforms from design planning to production, completing joint works over several months.

Lacca Ottchil Cucita_Wood, Ottchil_Park Kang-yong & Ryu Nam-gwon X MiChele De Lucchi 1070x1010x35. Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

First, Michele De Lucchi, a leader in the Italian design world, will present a work created in collaboration with Park Kangyong, a Jeonbuk intangible cultural asset lacquerware artisan.

Lucchi, also a world-renowned architect, used pure forms based on the essence of nature as design elements. Lacquered pieces were combined using sewing techniques to create a wall object.

The object designed by Mario Trimarchi, former chief designer at Alessi, was crafted by Lee Hyunggeun, a national intangible cultural asset brassware artisan. This piece emphasizes the painstaking process of creation in a modern society where things are easily made and discarded, realized through traditional bangjja brassware production methods.

GATherer_Heo Seongja X Francesco Faccin_Wanggol 450x450x200. Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Designer Francesco Passino, known for active collaborations with various brands, teamed up with wicker artisan Heo Seongja to present an object inspired by the traditional Korean gat (hat), made from king grass.

The exhibition theme, planned by artistic director Kang Sinjae, is 'Again, From the Foundation of the Earth.' Kang said, "This exhibition explores the value of crafts that use the earth's products themselves as materials and the aesthetics of respecting nature amid the pandemic and climate crisis. It features over 100 works made by 22 designers and craft artists from both countries, including metal, textiles, wood, glass, and hanji (traditional Korean paper)."

Key works include pieces by Kang Seokgeun made with wood coated in lacquer and fired using thermosetting techniques, and a massive clay object by Lee Neungho, completed by hammering tens of thousands of times.

The Second Curtain (幕)_East, Lacquer_ Kim Gye-ok. Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Kim Gyeokok will exhibit a work weaving copper wire with crochet, and Jeong Dahye will present a piece replicating comb-patterned pottery shapes using horsehair.

The exhibition space is set up on the first floor of the Feltrinelli building in Brera, the central district of Milan, covering an area of 500㎡. It is notable for being realized as a supernatural and primal land symbolizing earth, sky, and sun.

Director Kang explained, "It symbolizes that craft is born from the foundation of the earth and returns to the soil. We created a large courtyard filled with soil in the center of the exhibition hall and will display works on the soil rather than on pedestals, creating a scene as if the pieces are placed directly on the land."

Kim Taehoon, president of the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, said, "To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Milan Korean Craft Exhibition, we have attempted cultural fusion between Korea and Italy for the first time, reflecting the history and cultural significance of the event."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.