A New Way To Express With Wood And Metal Fusion By Shim Yunsik

Present yourself in a few lines.

I am Shim Yunshik who is working on art in Seoul. My artistic identity is fusion, and my major is a metal craft, but it is not limited to majors and materials such as furniture, paintings, sculpture, and I am still trying to make it mine.

Present in a few lines your work as a designer. What does it consist of?

This work is the fusion and harmony of my design philosophy. It is a reinterpretation of the fusion product of the semantic and lyrical philosophy of the East and the visual and intuitive beauty of the West.

Where did the idea of Wind Memory come from? Did you have any background experience with work on metal? 

At the time when the hatred and misunderstandings of Asians and Asian cultures are increasing since COVID-19, we recognize that race is nothing more than simple skin color, and we are all the same people, and we should not take advantage by dividing by race or skin color, etc. Wind (air) is freedom and equality given to all. I wanted to present the fusion of Eastern and Western design philosophy. As a metal craft major, I studied metal and honed technical parts under good teachers and craftsmen, and I tried to find something of my own, and I am still taking on new challenges as hard as ever.

Can you give us more explanation on the problem you wanted to solve with Wind Memory? Aesthetical or Technical? 

Although the values and forms of people in the West, East, and other cultures are different, I wanted to show as a designer and an artist that everyone can become a wonderful new thing through harmony and understanding cooperation. Art always conveys a transcendent message to everyone.

What is the process used to make this chair? Can you explain it in general terms and then specify how it’s applied to metal and wood? 

Saw the metal plate to the desired shape, and then trim the surface of the metal by filing. Create an openwork for a pattern on the metal surface, choose a tree, and cut it to the size of the metal plate. It is necessary to create a gap between the metal plate and the hollow metal so that wind (air) can move. After that, the parts that fit the pieces are combined, soldered, and welded, and then finished with surface treatment.

Give a step-by-step approach to the process. Give as much detail as possible. 

First, designing is done while going through the stages of conception and sketching, and then, second, the material and composition to make it are selected. Third, the 3d modeling is scaled as a work, and fourth, the actual modeling work of 10:1, 5:1, and 2:1 is performed, and then the ratio and the order of the production process are determined. Fifth, the metal is cut to fit the scale, openwork is applied, and the sixth filing and light treatment are applied. The seventh metal square folding machine is used to make the grooving work. Eighth, laser welding is done for angle folds. Ninth, connect the wood and metal and fix it. Lastly, the metal parts are light-treated and the wood is finished with oil.

Can you describe the resulting chair? Give as much detail as possible on its feeling and mechanical properties. 

The type of solid wood used ziricote solid wood, and the metal used brass. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and boasts a beautiful color. The technology used when processing metal is largely an openwork to give a pattern to the metal, a square fold for folding the metal, and a 120° groove for the square fold. Lastly, laser welding is used to perform more thorough welding.

Is the resulting material innovative in some way?
I tried to tell the story in a new way of expression rather than innovation in terms of meaning and in the way of expressing it. Inclusion and fusion, not rejection, give new results.

Can you describe the resulting chair? Give as much detail as possible on its feeling and mechanical properties. 

With the intrinsic value of the Eastern world, which made harmony with nature the best ideal, and the extroverted value of the intuitive and practical beauty of dots, lines, and sides, I tried to fuse their characteristics and tell a new story. There is a difference between the cultures of the East and the West, but there are no differences between races and people. The moment we acknowledge the difference, new cultures and values will emerge, and a new fusion will surely lead to a positive aspect in our lives. This chair has a story. ‘A memory (sculpture) left behind by the wind remained in the chair where the wind came and took a break. ‘Wind (air) is freedom and equality given to all. Both metal and wood air have different properties, but if they are born into the earth, they will surely leave wonderful results like this chair if they harmonize with each other.

INFORMATION

Photography with courtesy of Shim Yunsik

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