Honggu Park

Woodworker | lcheon, South Korea

Recommended by

Korea Craft & Design Foundation

Trees immortalised

Honggu draws his ideas from everyday life
He delights in displaying the positive energy of trees
In his objects, he portrays the quality of his materials

For Honggu Park, woodwork is his first and ultimate job. He started a relationship with wooden furniture when he was young. He was drawn to the evocative smell, feel and texture of wood. He continues to be enthralled by it and feels very privileged to be able to shape this living thing, and convey something of its vibrancy and vividness. He has created a wide variety of furniture. He sees his time working on wood not as a waste, rather as a time of accumulation of knowledge about wood and woodworking skills. For him, the tree is a companion, a life living together with him.

Interview

How did you first start this craft?: An artistic solution to minimise wood distortion due to changing seasons is Nakdong which is a traditional technique of burning wood. My “Abstract Tanhwa” series was created out of experiments to find ways to express unique, abstract patterns and textures.
Are you a master in any specific techniques?: I spent 38 years gaining experience making traditional Korean and European furniture, I combined these techniques resulting in unique furniture structures and styles. I invented "Abstract Tanhwa", a technique of burning various types of wood, as a way of decorating the surface.
How do you define your work?: My work is a product of understanding the natural state of wood and how it evolves in time and space. It stimulates all the five senses beyond the functionality and visual beauty of objects which allows people to connect with the world in a new way.
What does well made mean to you?: To me, a well made woodcraft is a work that allows you to see, perceive and experience the world from a new angle, a new perspective.

Honggu Park is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1985