Korea Now. Contemporary Jewelry from The Land of the Morning Calm in Santa Fe

Artist list

Hyemin Ahn, Ji Hyeun Ahn, Junmin Bae, Sinae Baik, Youngji Chi, MinYeol Cho, Minjung Cho, Sung-Ho Cho, JaeWook Choi, YeJin Choi, Yoonjung Choi, Soo Hyun Chou, Ho-Yeon Chung, Eun-Seok Han, Sang-Deok Han, SeongHwan Hyun, Jiyoung Jang, Jeon Jin, Yuri Jin, Jenny Jung, Mina Kang, Hanna Kim, Hee-ang Kim, Jimin Kim, Kyeok Kim, Song Kim, Soo-Yeon Kim, SuJin Kim, Yeon-Kyung Kim, Yong Joo Kim, YooJung Kim, Saerom Kong, DongChun Lee, Namkyung Lee, Seon-Yong Lee, YeJee Lee, Yeonmi Lee, Young-Joo Lee, Jewoon Lim, Jong-Seok Lim, Choonsun Moon, Jieun Park, Joo-Hyung Park, Juhyung Park, Eunji Shin, Haesun Shin, Healim Shin, HyeJung Sin, Youjin Um, Jaesun Won, Jiwon Yang, JungGyu Yi, Ahmi Yu, Jiye Yun, JuYeon Yun

This exhibition offers a compelling glimpse into the distinctive Korean aesthetic, featuring over 50 Korean artists. Defined by meticulous detail, refined craftsmanship, and layered symbolism, each work of art reinterprets Korea’s cultural heritage through a contemporary lens, bridging innovation and tradition.

Contemporary jewelry in Korea emerged in the 1980s, led by metal artists trained abroad. As professors, they shaped a generation skilled in both technique and design. Blending global influences with local tradition, Korean artists developed a unique aesthetic—refined, symbolic, and expertly crafted.

Throughout the collection, artists play with different shapes and sizes, often exaggerated, to create structural jewelry— some resemble insects and others like miniature architectural structures. Elements include asymmetrical patterns and geometric shapes that combine an element of play with a modern minimalist aesthetic offering only a glimpse into the depth of Korea’s exceptional creative spirit. Each piece is designed as adornment for the body yet transcends mere decoration.

Despite their often intricate and organic compositions, each piece reveals a remarkable sense of innovation. Artists work intuitively with carefully selected materials, ranging from wood, Velcro, shell beads and silver brass to canvas, copper, silver enamel, and more, chosen not only for their physical qualities but also for their symbolic resonance. Their beauty lies not only in the precision of their craftsmanship but in the stories they embody.

Many works draw on references to Korean culture: repetitive structures that echo traditional architecture, natural and animal motifs that express the inner self or the soul of the object, and a constant pursuit of duality, harmony, and purity that reflects a deeply rooted philosophy.

Opening: May 9 from 5:00 to 7:00pm.

Hourly:
Monday - Friday: 11 am – 5 pm.
Saturday and Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm.