So Young Park
Wire sculptor
Ithaca, NY, USA
Microcosims in wire
- So Young is a metalsmith and wire sculptor working in jewellery and sculptures
- Her works are inspired by the hope and promise of nature
- She repeats small elements to suggest cellular growth
So Young crochets metal wire into sculptural forms that sit atop mesh bases. "I planned to study painting, but I felt an immediate connection to metal sheet the first time i worked with it. It was electric," she says. So Young loved its strength, malleability and transformative nature, and shifted her studies to metalsmithing. In 1999, she moved to the USA, where she grew her jewellery practice. "At that time, I missed sculpture deeply," she says. During Covid-19, she turned to wire crochet, a slow, patient process where simple yet countless repetitions gradually build to form fluid, mesh structures. So Young colours these creations using a traditional lacquer technique called ottchil. "In merging this ancient method with contemporary forms, I maintain a deep connection to my cultural roots," she says.
INTERVIEW
Nature heals, regenerates and represents quiet resilience and rebirth. I often describe my loops as cells. Each begins as small and seemingly insignificant, but through sustained effort, that one tiny unit of life grows and multiplies into an entire organism.
I crochet with steel wire, using a hook I made myself because commercial tools are too soft. I also apply ottchil lacquer to metal, which requires baking in an industrial oven. This strengthens the wire and results in beautiful colour changes.
From South Korea, I learned respect for craft, discipline, tradition and material sensitivity. From the USA, I learned to push boundaries, embrace individual expression, experiment freely and expand my sense of possibility.
My technique allows no shortcuts. Rather than spectacle or technical display, I want to reveal the honest traces of the hand that come from consistent, committed effort. I want the time, dedication and inquiry to remain visibly and unapologetically present.
So Young Park
Wire sculptor
Ithaca, NY, USA
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Ithaca, NY, USA
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
English, Korean
Homo Faber Finds is a new service aiming to inspire admirers of craft to connect and collaborate with exceptional artisans.
We invite you to submit an enquiry here.
