Yuna Kim
Glass fuser
London, United Kingdom
Fleeting shadows of glass
- Yuna's glass practice focuses on the ephemerality of relationships
- She was a participant in the 2025 Venice Glass Week's Hub Under 35
- She is a winner of the joint RCA and Pilchuck Glass School Partner Scholarship
Delicate and textured, Yuna Kim's kiln-formed glass creations flaunt an ethereal quality of watery greens and blues. Her organic openwork structures are achieved with the pâte de verre technique. Born and raised in South Korea and now based in London, Yuna studied glass and ceramic design at Namseoul University and obtained her master's degree at the Royal College of Art. Her work resonates with John Locke's Theory of Perception, which holds that people understand objects through experience, sensation and memory. "The pieces have jar-like shapes, but cannot contain anything. Even if I strip out functionality, viewers still recognise them as jars," Yuna says. She is the proud winner of several awards including ND Selects 2025, and New Designers x Cockpit Award.
INTERVIEW
I am simply interested in the process. Working with glass, I feel freedom. My university in South Korea was open 24 hours a day, so I practically lived there. I would work until 4 am, sleep a little, then start all over again to practise and develop my skills.
I like pale-toned, calm colours. They connect with the fleeting nature of relationships. I prefer to draw on shades from nature, the sky, sea, plants and flowers, over vivid tones from manufacturers.
While I was at the RCA, I was passing through a difficult emotional period. I often spent time drawing in the park. While sitting under the trees, I noticed the shadows of the branches moving in the wind. It was the starting point for expressing the fragility and transience of relationships through delicate, porous glass forms.
Due to the fragile and complex nature of the work, the process demands deep concentration. This focus helps clear my mind from everyday worries and anxieties. I feel immense joy upon seeing my piece finally come out of the kiln.
