Yong Joo Kim
Jeweller
Published: 19.11.2018
News!
One new necklace and one new brooch are on show at Hoard Gallery in Seoul, the solo exhibition Threshold of Respect by Yong Joo Kim is running from 28.11.2018 to 05.12.2018.
yongjookim.comNecklace: Varied Degree of Directed Protrusion No. 1, 2018
Hook and loop fastener, thread, sterling silver.
43 x 34 x 7 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Varied Degree of Directed Protrusion No. 1, 2018
Hook and loop fastener, thread, sterling silver.
43 x 34 x 7 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
Back view.
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Brooch: Varied Degree of Directed Protrusion No. 2-1, 2018
Hook and loop fastener, thread, sterling silver.
11 x 17 x 6 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Varied degree of protrusion IX, 2017
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
50 x 29 x 5.5 cm
Photo by: Yong Joo Kim
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Necklace: Crossing the Chasm, op. 9.2, 2017
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver (oxidized)
20 x 48 x 6 cm
Photo by: Yong Joo Kim
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Necklace: Varied degree of protrusion I, 2017
Hook-and loop fasteners, thread
30 x 44 x 8 cm
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Brooch: Varied degree of protrusion III, 2017
Hook-and loop fasteners, thread, sterling silver, brass
11 x 15 x 7 cm
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Brooch: Varied degree of protrusion VI, 2017
Hook-and loop fasteners, thread, sterling silver
8 x 11 x 7 cm
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Brooch: Alternated Color III, 2017
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
9 x 14 x 4 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Alternated Color. OP2., 2017
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
20 x 34 x 6 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Crossing the chasm Op.5, 2016
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread.
27 × 47 × 5 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
From series: Crossing the chasm
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Necklace: Crossing the chasm Op.5, 2016
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread.
27 × 47 × 5 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
From series: Crossing the chasm
Detail view.
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Necklace: Crossing the chasm, 2016
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver.
22 x 24 x 4 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
From series: Crossing the chasm
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Brooch: Crossing the chasm: 5.3V.1K & 3.3V.1K, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
12 x 9 x 5.5 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Brooch: Crossing the chasm: 5.3V.2K & 3.2V, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
Photo by: Studio Munch
10 x 9.5 x 4.5 cm and 12.5 x 12 x 4 cm
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Brooch: Crossing the chasm: 6.1v & 5.1v & 4.1v & 3.1v, 2016
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
10 x 14 x 5 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Brooch: Transitions in Red XI, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
Photo by: Studio Munch
10 x 7 x 4 cm (top) and 7 x 17 x 4 cm
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Necklace: Crossing the chasm: 6(4.3.1v.1k) & 2(5.4.1v.1k) & 3(3.2.1v.1k), 2016
Velcro hook-and-loop fastener, thread
39 x 23 x 4.5 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Transitions in Red XII, 2016
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
22 x 24 x 4 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Transitions in Red II, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
35 × 29 × 4 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Transitions in Red I, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
35 × 25 × 3.5 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Transitions in Red I, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
35 × 25 × 3.5 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
(back)
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Brooch: Transitions in Red III, 2014
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, Sterling silver
11 × 7 × 4 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Transitions in Red V, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
2 1× 19 × 4 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Brooch: Transitions in Red VI, 2014
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, Sterling silver
8 × 6 × 3.5 cm
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Ring: Transitions in Red IX, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
5 × 6.5 × 3 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Passen, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread.
71 x 24 x 11 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Necklace: Passen II, 2015
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread.
60 x 24 x 6 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Bracelet: In Light of Space II, 2014
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
14 × 12 × 11 cm / 8 × 14 × 15 cm
Photo by: Studio Munch
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Bracelet: In Light of Space II, 2014
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
14 × 12 × 11 cm
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Studies in Requisite Variety: An Interview with Yong Joo Kim
Sublime Experiment
2014
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Sublime Experiment
2014
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Yong Joo KimBrooch: Requisite Variety S2-EV8, 2013
Hook-loop fastener, Sterling Silver
6 x 8 x 4”
Photo Credit: Harry Gould Harvey IV
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Requisite Variety S2-EV9, 2013
Hook-loop fastener, Sterling Silver
16 x 14 x 1”
Photo Credit: Harry Gould Harvey IV
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Requisite Variety S2-EV7, 2013
Hook-loop fastener, Sterling Silver
4.5 x 14 x 4.5”
Photo Credit: Harry Gould Harvey IV
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Yong Joo KimBrooch: Requisite Variety S4-EV7, 2013
Hook-loop fastener, Sterling Silver
3 x 3 x 1”
Photo Credit: Harry Gould Harvey IV
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Requisite Variety S4-EV6, 2012
Hook and loop fastener, thread
3 x 19 x 1.25
Photo Credit: Harry Gould Harvey IV
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Yong Joo KimBracelet: Requisite Variety S4-EV3, 2012
Hook and loop fastener, thread
4 x 4 x 2
Photo Credit: Studio Munch
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Yong Joo KimBracelet: In light of Space, 2012
Hook and loop fastener, thread
4.5 x 6.5 x 6” each
Photo Credit: Studio Munch
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Neckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped and Linked, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener
12 x 16 x 4”
Yong Joo, Kim
Neckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped and Linked, 2012
Hook-and-loop fastener
12 x 16 x 4”
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped and Attached, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
14 x 15 x 2.5”
Yong Joo, Kim
Neckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped and Attached, 2012
Hook-and-loop fastener, Thread
14 x 15 x 2.5”
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped, Pressed and Attached, 2012
Hook-and-loop fastener, Thread
9 x 13.5 x 1”
Model: Olivia Culpo
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Yong Joo KimBracelet: In Light of Space: Overlapped and Twice Spiraled (Left)/ In Light of Space: Overlapped and Once Spiraled (Right), 2012
Grey Hook-and-loop fastener, Thread
5x 5 x 7” / 5 x 5 x 7”
Model: Olivia Culpo
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Yong Joo KimBracelet: In Light of Space: Overlapped and Raised by Six (Left)/ In Light of Space: Overlapped and Twice Spiraled (Right), 2012
Grey and Black Hook-and-loop fastener, Thread
4.5 x 4.5 x 7.5” / 5.5 x 5.5 x 6”
Model: Olivia Culpo
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Yong Joo KimBracelet: In Light of Space: Overlapped and Raised by Four (Left)/ In Light of Space: Overlapped and Raised by Six (Right), 2012
Black Hook-and-loop fastener, Thread
4.5 x 4.5 x 7.5” / 5.5 x 5.5 x 9.5”
Model: Olivia Culpo
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped and Attached, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
14 x 15 x 2.5”
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Twist Looped and Linked, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener
12 x 16 x 4”
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Rounded, Aligned and Twisted #1, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
8 x 15 x 3”
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Yong Joo KimNeckpiece: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Aligned, Rolled and Attached, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
18 x 8 x 0.5
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Yong Joo KimBrooch: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Rounded, Aligned and Folded, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, sterling silver
3.5 x 4 x 0.5 ”
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Yong Joo KimBrooch: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Stacked and Rolled, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, sterling silver
4 x 3 x 2”
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Yong Joo KimBracelet: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Rounded, Aligned and Twisted #2, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread
3.75 x 4 x 1”
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Yong Joo KimRing: Reconfiguring the Ordinary: Rolled and Inserted, 2011
Hook-and-loop fastener, thread, sterling silver
1.25 x 1.25 x 1.25”
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Outer Expression of Inner Beauty
Sublime Experiment
2012
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Sublime Experiment
2012
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Statement
Overview: Requisite VarietyAfter graduation in 2009, I was left with a limited set of tools, resources, and finances. Such limitation made me search for an inexpensive material that I could shape with my bare hands. The material I chose was pieces of grey and black hook and loop fasteners.
Making art became a method of survival. The act of making breathed meaning and reason necessary for my psychological survival. The act of sharing my work with the world provided food, clothes and shelter necessary for my physical survival.
To more consciously explore the relationship between art and survival, I decided to limit myself to merely three distinct shapes of hook and loop fasteners. I wondered if I could survive with such harsh limitations.
As I started to experiment by generating many diverse sets of forms from one or more of the three shapes, I began to see an inextricable link between survival and mastery.
Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety states that only variety can absorb variety. What he means is that, in order to master any problem or process, we have to be able to bring more variety to bear than is inherent in the situation.
Think of two jazz players improvising: one plays a certain melody and another responds with a different melody. Even when an unexpected melody is played, a master improviser has the ability to choose the most appropriate response that expresses the feeling they desire while maintaining the integrity of the ensemble. In this regard, mastery is the stage that one reaches by acquiring a sufficient variety of responses that empowers one to deal with this kind of interaction.
If the jazz players’ continuous playing is analogous to me being able to keep generating new forms, could this be what it means to survive? Could the process of survival be inextricably linked to the process of achieving mastery?
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Think of beans, straws, pins, nails, velcro, snaps, cable ties, and electric caps. These objects are not normally considered beautiful or valuable. I explore the value of such mundane objects, and discover their hidden beauty through a process of reconfiguration. Think of the velcro: a long strip of rough, bland, and industrial object, seen on shoes, bags, watches, and at the grocery store. As I pay close attention to it and its system of organization in my environment, I find new ways of looking, new ways of decomposing and composing them, and new ways of creating a relationship between it and our body. My work introduces unconventional use of familiar artifacts into a world full of conventions.
By assembling, grouping, clustering, and piling, the simple elements become complex, and give rise to the unexpected. As the wearer approaches my work, their perspective shifts and sudden realizations spark wonder, discovery, tension, joy and play. My investigation of creation, innovation, and transformation questions the definition of value, and provides a never-ending field for invention
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What does it mean for us to survive?
For me, making art is a way of exploring this simple yet complex question.
I focus primarily on a single material of choice: hook and loop fasteners. The choice to create jewelry out of an inexpensive material often considered unattractive and mundane was originally inspired by two reasons. On the one hand, it was to survive financially by keeping material costs down. On the other hand, it was to challenge my ability to survive in a field known for its use of attractive and precious materials. What I have since learned is that the creative process is also something that requires survival.
In the creative process, we often get stuck. When we do, we feel as if there is a finite limit to our ability to create. To survive the creative process is to continue to feel alive when we get stuck by not giving up. To do this, we must be able to embrace and appropriately respond to a variety of unpleasant surprises, so as to overcome them. What’s pleasantly surprising about this is that when we do, we often end up with art that defies our imagination. Art that provides us with experiences of sublime, inspiration, and beauty, which helps us realize that there still exists infinite possibilities. I wish to share these experiences with those who witness or wear my work.
CV 
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Events
Publications
News!
One new necklace and one new brooch are on show at Hoard Gallery in Seoul, the solo exhibition Threshold of Respect by Yong Joo Kim is running from 28.11.2018 to 05.12.2018.
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