Wonmin Park’s Plain Cuts_Remediated, a sculptural piece inspired by volcanic rock formations
Plain Cuts_Remediated SS22301 by Wonmin Park represents a significant evolution in the artist’s body of work, marking his first exploration into floor lighting. This sculptural lamp draws inspiration from the organic, imposing presence of volcanic rock formations, a recurring theme within the Plain Cuts_Stone&Steel series.
However, instead of replicating the raw solidity of stone, this piece subverts expectations by employing a translucent resin base, creating a striking contrast between weight and lightness. The material’s ethereal quality allows it to act as a negative of the dense volcanic formations found elsewhere in the series, generating an interplay between form, illumination, and perception.
Wonmin Park’s approach transcends the conventional dichotomy between nature and human intervention, redefining their relationship in an artistic context. Rather than positioning his work as a direct imitation or opposition to natural elements, he integrates the essence of organic formations with a refined creative process. The result is a sculptural object that does not merely mimic geological structures but instead engages in a dialogue with them, offering a vision that merges natural processes with human craftsmanship.
By introducing light as an intrinsic element of the piece, Plain Cuts_Remediated extends the conceptual framework of the Plain Cuts collection. The luminous quality of the resin base counterbalances the visual and material density associated with volcanic rock, reinforcing the idea that light itself can serve as both a sculptural and functional medium. This equilibrium is not just aesthetic but also conceptual, emphasizing the dynamic forces that shape both natural and artistic creation.
Wonmin Park’s work often blurs the boundaries between sculpture and functional design, and this floor lamp is no exception. As a continuation of his exploration of materiality, transparency, and form, it further refines his distinctive language of abstraction and minimalism. Through careful material selection and a meticulous creative process, Park crafts an object that resonates with both geological history and contemporary design, offering an artistic reinterpretation of nature’s enduring presence.
This synthesis of elemental inspiration and human ingenuity highlights the artist’s broader thematic inquiries—how materials can embody both the ephemeral and the permanent, and how artistic intervention can reflect the alchemical transformations occurring within the natural world. With Plain Cuts_Remediated, Wonmin Park not only expands his own artistic vocabulary but also challenges traditional distinctions between nature and design, creating a piece that embodies both weight and weightlessness, solidity and translucency, permanence and transformation.
All images by Carpenters Workshop Gallery, courtesy of Wonmin Park, shared with permission
