Samyong Hwang

Mother-of-pearl worker

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Building shine millimetre by millimetre

Samyong started out by making mother-of-pearl furniture before turning to more artistic pieces
He has been working with mother-of-pearl since 1976
He imagines putting mother-of-pearl on everything in everyday life

Samyong Hwang began working with mother-of-pearl at 17 years old, learning the craft from his older brother, who was already an artisan. Samyong's journey was not easy, especially since he lost all his works in two fires, which almost made him give up. After the second fire, he retreated to the mountains for six months. His wife, using money she had saved for a new washing machine, encouraged him to re-open the workshop, knowing that this work brought him the most happiness. With her support, Samyong took up his work again. When Damien Hirst purchased some of his sculptures in 2015 and 2017 his work began to gain international recognition. Today, his artworks are displayed in museums such as the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Interview

How did you begin practising this craft?
In the 1970s and 1980s, furniture decorated with mother-of-pearl was popular in Korea, so there was plenty of work if you learned this craft. In the 1990s, however, it fell out of fashion, leading many artisans, including my brother who introduced me to this craft, to leave the profession. For me, it was a turning point because I began creating art pieces with mother-of-pearl instead of making furniture.
Where do you get the materials for your work?
The materials for making mother-of-pearl usually come from seashells and abalone. In Korea, abalone from the south coast is particularly beautiful in colour, so it is exclusively sourced from there. Other materials are extracted from conchs found in Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Japan's Okinawa Island, or the Philippines.
What are your specialist skills?
My specialism is a cutting technique. It is the most traditional method, primarily used during the early Joseon Dynasty in the 15th century, but it is rarely used now because it is not suitable for mass production and is time-consuming. I cut the mother-of-pearl to a size of less than 1mm, then use a knife to shape and assemble the pieces to form intricate patterns.
Where do you get your inspiration for your work?
No matter how great and brilliant my art is, I cannot surpass the art of nature. My Pebble series was inspired by the feeling of water flowing over pebbles by the river. My Water Drop series was inspired by memories of all the dew on the grass at dawn in the countryside when I was a child.

Samyong Hwang is a master artisan: he began his career in 1976 and he started teaching in 2017