Absence as a sculptural presence
- Myungtaek is a furniture maker trained in both woodwork and metalwork
- His practice is guided by a philosophy rooted in Korean traditional architecture
- He invites people to pause in the spaces his work creates
Myungtaek Jung investigates the philosophical and spatial nature of materials, transforming furniture from a functional object into a reflective artistic presence. Rooted in traditional Korean architecture, he reinterprets the concepts of muwi, the absence of action, mushim, the absence of desire, and muhyeong, the absence of shape, through a contemporary lens. Myungtaek studied woodworking and furniture design at Hongik University and later earned his master of fine arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology. His work with the Wendell Castle Collection played a formative role in shaping his artistic vision. He has presented solo exhibitions in the USA, Egypt and South Korea, and participated in major international exhibitions including the Triennale Design Museum Milan in 2018, PAD London and Design Miami in 2025. Currently based in Gyeongsan in South Korea, Myungtaek continues to explore new possibilities for art furniture that sits between tradition and modernity.
Interview
- Why did you choose to study both wood and metal?
- Wood carries warmth shaped by time and nature, I can feel its vitality on my fingertips. Metal possesses sculptural strength and freedom through heat and force. Some works call for the wood’s warm presence, others require metal’s solidity. The tension and balance between them fascinates me.
- What role does space play in your craft?
- My focus on space comes from Korean traditional architecture, which has the power to hold the mind within its emptiness. The airflow you feel while sitting on the wooden floor of a Hanok, a Korean traditional house, or the resonance of the spatial void in the Daecheong hall, are the sources of my inspiration.
- How do you embrace the mushim, muwi, muhyeong philosophy?
- Mushim is a humble, unforced state of mind that does not assume skill or intention. Muwi is naturalness, allowing things to reveal themselves without artificial intervention. Muhyeong is an open attitude that resists being confined to a fixed form. Together, these ideas form the foundation of my work's aesthetic.
- What part of your craft makes you happiest?
- I feel happiest when my work helps people take a break, even if briefly resting their thoughts or breathing within the space. Whether they sit to observe or simply glance a look, knowing that my work creates a quiet ripple of reflection within a space is the greatest source of joy for me as an artist.
Myungtaek Jung is a master artisan: he began his career in 1992 and he started teaching in 2010
Where
Myungtaek Jung
