I came across the work of Misun Won this week. She is a Scottish based jeweller that draws her inspiration from Korean patchwork. Misun Won has studied the unique compositional arrangements of the patchwork to develop her own complex technique of bending and folding silver sheet.
As well as influencing the aesthetic, Misum Won also plays on the symbolism of these patchwork cloths in Korean culture.
patchwork cloths were developed as a means of wrapping an object or food in a careful and respectful way.
This type of patchwork known as Jogakboo was develpoed in the Joseon dynasty as fabric was scarce so women collected scraps to sew together. I wrote a post last year about the Joseon Dynasty and their use of silver spoons in detecting poison. Click here to read it!
While the majority of her work is jewellery based she has done these beautiful small silver vessels on the same patchwork theme. I love the contrast between the polished smooth forms and the busy folded detail. These patchworks of circles and patterns all come from a single sheet of metal which is manipulated to create the three dimensional form. When I first saw her work I presumed the circles had been laser cut and she would then bend the pieces into shape. It was only when I watched a video of her working that I realised she cut each section by hand! Click here if you want to see the video.
Her more recent work introduces colour and other elements such as pearls and silk to her jewellery. I’m now subscribed to her blog so I can see lots more of these silver patchworks.
