Heeseung Koh
Korean Jeweller
"RINGS TAKE ON THEIR VALUE WHEN IT EMBELLISHES THE HAND AS ORNAMENTS. RINGS ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO THE MOVEMENTS OF THE FINGERS AND HAND. THEY TAKE ON THE WARMTH AND ENERGY OF THE WEARER, THEY SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE LIVING THINGS TO MOVE AS WELL. A RING IS ALSO ULTIMATELY AN OBJECT THAT WE KEEP AND COLLECT, AND INTERACTS WITH PEOPLE, WHETHER AS A SYMBOL OF A MEMORY AND CHERISHED PROMISE, AN OBJECT THAT ADORNS SOMEONE’S HAND AND WHOSE TEXTURE IS FUN TO TOUCH, OR SOMETHING THAT PROTECTS THE FINGER.”
Heeseung Koh has been a jewellery maker for over three decades, training and living in Seoul, South Korea. Working primarily in silver, Koh’s most recent work is interested in the interaction between wearer and jewellery, exploring the tactile experience of texture and weight, as well as the symbols and stories we attribute to treasured pieces of jewellery. She looks to create tension between shape and materials, particularly drawn to rings’ round holes and the discovery of new shapes as the ring is removed from the wearer’s hands. She was a Finalist for the Loewe Craft Prize in 2019.
