A play of shapes, materials and assemblages, the creations of Korean designer Jeonghwa Seo form a singular universe in their own right.

Jeonghwa Seo chose to go into design in the late 1990s, when "the importance of design applied to industrial products such as electronics and automobiles was beginning to emerge in Korea", he recalls, adding: " As a result, I remember studying design mainly in domestic and foreign magazines. " He continued his exploration of the discipline at Hongik University in Seoul in 2007, where he studied metalworking in particular. " While studying craft, I became interested in a designer named Gijs Bakker in the Netherlands. So I went on to study for my Master's degree at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where Gijs Bakker was Dean. The reason I was interested in him and admired him was that I had a similar starting point and direction. He started out working with metal, then expanded his work in various directions such as products, furniture and fashion. In addition, the philosophical themes of the objects and people he presents in each piece greatly inspired me. "

Metal, a material that Jeonghwa Seo works with in the "Cylinder Series" collection: " The start of this project was very simple. I wanted to emphasize the appeal of the hollow cylindrical structure. This form of aluminum structure is achievable in particular through sand casting techniques. " The designer also wanted to visually show the movement of the aluminum pipe, which cuts at right angles. A silhouette that he then topped with a plate "made of translucent acrylic". Two contradictory materials, used here to create a contrast between the rough surface of the sand-cast aluminum and the soft surface of the acrylic sheet. " When thinking about the work, I thought about the conventional shapes and structures mainly used for furniture, and I wanted to give this piece a low-key appearance by rejecting preconceived ideas. I expect people who use this work to feel a new sense through the process of discovering function, while observing the structure of the line. "

Jeonghwa Seo has applied this structure to benches, lighting fixtures, tables and stools. In his first sketches, he also intended to explore it through other objects such as vases or even chandeliers. "This work is very much a work in progress," he admits, adding that it is also the result of combining several wooden figures. " I'd like to apply this working method to create objects with a variety of uses, such as slightly larger tables or shelves. "

As for this interplay of materials, the designer intends to continue exploring it, through his "subjectivity". He adds: " These days, I study how functional objects are perceived as beautiful by their users. If the reflections on physical properties I've been considering so far combine well with the aesthetic characteristics of functional objects, I think there will be some interesting work to do. " We don't doubt it for a moment.

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