Jian Yoo

Mother-of-pearl worker

©Arijian

Modern mother-of-pearl

Jian treats mother-of-pearl as an artistic material
She develops traditional techniques into modern designs
She creates small objects to pieces of furniture

Jian Yoo was born and raised in Seoul and went on to study Interior Design at Pratt Institute in New York. She currently lives and works between Korea and the United States. While studying in New York in her twenties, she took time to ponder on what she should specialise in, and settled on mother-of-pearl. She already had an affinity for the material as her father had been a master. After returning to Korea in 2013, she set to work on being a pioneer for the modern mother-of-pearl craft by creating her own brand, labelled Arijian. With a contemporary approach, Jian sees mother-of-pearl as an artistic material rather than as a historical material. She attributes meaning to her chosen material through the pieces she creates.

Interview

©Arijian

©Arijian

What makes your craft work unique?: My final products are relevant to our present time. Mother-of-pearl is mostly recognized as a craft material, but I treat it as an art material and try to develop designs with a new perspective.
What are your sources of inspiration?: I am mainly inspired by nature, architecture and Korean culture. The Flow and the moon collections are inspired by the sea, waves and islands; Oblique is inspired by modern architecture and Got is inspired by Korean culture.
How do yo transform inspiration into creations?: Once a theme is decided, I think about why this theme touched me before I then decide the process. I consider the aesthetic beauty and harmony of a new work by creating sketches which I learnt at design school.
What is your favourite part of the process?: I like the process of carving the mother-of-pearl. It is a natural material from the sea. The changing light of mother-of-pearl is not a simple colour change, but a flow of light created by time and nature. Every time, I feel the enchanting charm of it.

Jian Yoo is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2011