The rhythm of everyday gestures and the silent logic of materials inspire me. Interview with Youngjoo Lee by Klimt02.

What inspires you to create?
Inspiration often comes from the rhythm of everyday gestures and the silent logic of materials. I am drawn to structures that emerge through repetition and variation — how something as simple as weaving, folding, or joining can evolve into a form that carries both emotion and logic. Traditional Korean crafts and natural phenomena also guide my attention toward slow, layered processes.


What kind of work are you currently doing?
I am currently preparing a solo exhibition titled Melody of Matter, continuing my Kanon series which began in 2019. The work explores how rhythmic rules can generate form through both digital modelling and meticulous handcraft. I'm focused on objects that merge algorithmic design with the tactile rituals of polishing, joining, and assembling metal.


What is the main challenge you face in your practice?
One of the biggest challenges is balancing the conceptual clarity of my ideas with the unpredictable nature of physical materials. Working between digital and analogue modes requires constant negotiation — the screen offers control, while the hand introduces rhythm, resistance, and nuance.


What does being part of Klimt02 mean to you?
Klimt02 offers a valuable platform for visibility and connection, especially for artists like me who work between disciplines and geographies. I appreciate the careful curation and emphasis on artistic voice. It’s also inspiring to witness how the field of contemporary jewelry and object-making continues to grow in dialogue with other forms of thinking and making.


What would you like to see more of in the contemporary jewelry field?
I would love to see more porous boundaries — between craft and technology, ornament and architecture, function and poetry. I believe contemporary jewelry has the power to carry deep ideas through intimate scale, and to speak quietly but powerfully about how we live with materials.