Minyeol Cho

Denim Grain

Textile sculptor

©Munch studio

A sensory craft serving cultural memory

Minyeol creates objects from restructuring abandoned textiles he finds in Changshin-dong
His process responds to the rapid urban changes and cultural consumption in South Korea
He aims to blur material boundaries by prioritising sensation over technique

In what he calls a sensory craft, Minyeol Cho transforms discarded materials, specifically denim scraps, into sculptures, vessels, trays, eyeglasses and other objects. His process begins in the streets of Changshin-dong, Seoul's garment district, where he collects textile remnants he falls upon. Minyeol then joins his materials together through experimental restructuring, focusing more on sensation rather than technique. "I approach craft not as a rebellion against tradition, but as natural evolution within Korea's fast-paced reality. My practice aims to record disappearing cultural fragments," he explains. Minyeol's work aim to demonstrate how contemporary craft can function as both a universal language and a marker of specific local culture, through creating new sensory testimonies from urban waste.

Interview

©Munch studio

©Munch studio

What role does Changshin-dong play in your practice?: In this neighbourhood, materials and human existence intersect. In each of its alleys, there are fabric scraps, decades of sewing machine rhythms and layered traces of craftsmanship. Changshin-dong functions not as a backdrop to my work, but as a sensory collaborator in how I read and recombine materials. It is a mirror of my practice.
How do you work on your Extended Fragments series?: The series began while I was contemplating how temporal strata imprint on materials. Craft is not merely technique – it is sensually grasping disappearing elements and restructuring sensations. I understand craft as a universal language whilst acknowledging that local contexts are essential. Within the context of Korea's rapid change and forgetting cycles, I hope my craft and pieces can be a recorder of sensation.
What does your creative process look like?: My process starts with me collecting abandoned garments and material remnants, and re-reading their temporal traces. Then, I dry, process and join them through experimental restructuring. I aim to blur material boundaries such as those of textiles, metal and glass, focusing on sensation and temporality rather than technique and form.
What distinguishes your creative works ?: My practice orchestrates relationships between materials. I focus on materials, sensations and environmental contexts, expressing myself through works that fit in today's world, rather than comparing my pieces with those of the past. It is a different mode of expression I formed over time.

Minyeol Cho is an expert artisan he began his career in 2013