Eunjin Kim

Two contexts . . . from traditional wood sculpture to new 3D printing technology.

Two contexts have invariably existed in almost all of my works despite the recent radical change of appearance of my works from traditional wood sculpture to new 3D printing technology.  The one is a continuous study of the inside of a being and the other is a keen interest in relationship; both of the elements, disclosing the inside of beings and unexpected coupling different beings, have been constantly permeating into my works consciously or unconsciously.

The beginning of both of languages dominating my career was my over 5 years’ experience under artisans of Korean traditional Buddhism wood sculpture in my early career.  The motive of my decision to train under them was simple; I could not have forgotten the feeling of touch when cutting wood with knives for the first time.

While learning how to handle wood with going along the natural flows of annual rings, I realized my own perspectives towards the world; one individual being is a microcosm itself which is entangled with others.  Then, it naturally led me to two themes in my works; the essence lies hidden under the skin and all of beings are connected with others.  The former is related with Dhyāna, which means literally ‘inward eyes’ or meditation to penetrate into the inward nature without delusion by outward appearance and the latter means that Pratītyasamutpād, all things arise in dependence upon other things; to put it another way, one being should exist only in the relationship with presences of others.