The Evolution of Lacquer Craft
Meet contemporary craftworks using lacquer, one of the oldest techniques of Korean craft
By Korea Craft & Design Foundation
Edited by Jung Sungkab
ATTO by Jung EunjinKorea Craft & Design Foundation
Lacquer is to apply the sap of lacquer trees to make wooden objects shiny, and it is a leading craft technique in Korea. It is possible to express various colors, and the colors change over time, so we often find artists who use lacquer in contemporary art.
Moonlight Story Mood Lamp by 루트 57 스튜디오Korea Craft & Design Foundation
Root 57 Studio, "Moonlight Story Mood Lamp"
Root 57 Studio’s number “57” sounds similar to “lacquer” when pronounced in Korean. As the studio name suggests, various works are designed and produced based on lacquer craft.
True Nature by Park SungyeolKorea Craft & Design Foundation
Park Seongyeol, "True Nature"
Lacquer is often used as a finishing material. This is because it is literally a type of varnish applied to materials such as metal, ceramics, and glass. Sung-Youl Park sought a way to show the beauty of the lacquer material itself, and developed a “lacquer stretching” method.
Lacquered Boxes by Yu NamkwonKorea Craft & Design Foundation
Yu Namkwon, "Lacquered Boxes"
The artist Yu Namkwon majored in Oriental painting in university, and studied furniture design in graduate school. As a result, he is very talented at dealing with all kinds of paintings, furniture, and small objects.
Lengthened Lacquer Series by Park SeongyeolKorea Craft & Design Foundation
Park Seongyeol, "Lengthened Lacquer Series"
The shapes of lacquerware (lacquered wooden bowls) are made using wood or metals, but Park Seongyeol’s work is special in that the role of shapes is minimized or the materiality of lacquer itself completes a variety of forms.
ATTO by Jung EunjinKorea Craft & Design Foundation
Jung Eunjin, "ATTO"
ATTO is a glass lacquerware that combines the transparency of glass with the deep color of lacquer.
For You by Kang Suk-KeunKorea Craft & Design Foundation
Kang Suk-Keun, "For You"
Wooden bowl named "For You" can be put in a microwave, and is sturdy enough to contain hot food like stews. It is light and less than 3mm thick, and you can wash it using dish soap. The reason why this artist’s work is so practical can be attributed to “thermosetting.”
