Precious Beasts: Blooming by Eunmi Chun

Artist list

Eunmi Chun

The jewellery made by Eunmi Chun is bold and figurative. She makes pendants or brooches, sometimes these functions can be exchanged because a seperate string is provided. Obviously the image is more important than the way of fixing it to the body. Each piece is a convincing likeness of an animal surrouned by foliage: sculptural portraits of a lion, a giraffe or eagles amidst all sorts of leaves. These kind of elements are also present in older work by Chun, but never before did she combine them in this way. The objects are clearly intended to be worn, for despite their dimensions, they are light as a feather. This is the result of her unconventional choice of materials - and here the meaning of the work starts to topple - using uncommon, natural substances like pigskin, intestine, seeds and human hair. Only the application of gold (on the hair), silver and zinc refers to the traditional practice of the jeweller.

The Philosopher Pravu Mazumdar recognizes in Chun's pieces a force surging through floral, animal and human forms according the [-] dictates of the foodchain'; an incessant flow of biological energy in which the wearer of jewellery is just a mere circuit element. The artist clearly intended such a merging of the realms of plants and animals judging from the title of the exhibition: 'Precious Beasts, Blooming'. The human aspect is provided by Chun's own associations about the fragility of life and our closeness to death.

What ever the interpretation of the observer, it is obvious that materials aren't fawning servants: in the completed work their, sometimes uncanny, connotations are inescapable. They give a unexpected / profound meaning to the poetic visions of animals in these jewellery pieces.

Ward Schrijver
(© Galerie Rob Koudijs)