Shining DESPAIR
Jounghye Park
South Korea

Brooch “Saves-1”, 2024
Hand-dyed Silk, Brass, 925Silver, 110x105x18mm
Dyeing, Fabrication, Caving
Photo : Sangdeok Han

Brooch “Saves-2”, 2024
Hand-dyed Silk, Brass, 925Silver, 110x115x18mm
Dyeing, Fabrication, Caving
Photo : Sangdeok Han

The ‘Saves’ series is a collection created by layering and carving small pieces of silk fabric, which are byproducts of my creative process. Through this series, I aim to show that even tiny fabric scraps, which would normally be discarded, can be transformed into meaningful and valuable works of art.

I was deeply affected by a documentary about a place in Accra, Africa. In Accra, there is an area where discarded clothing from around the world accumulates, forming a river-like structure. Cows were seen chewing on pieces of cloth in an abandoned pile of clothes that connected like a river trunk.
This documentary reminded me of the growing pile of discarded fabric in my own studio-a small reflection of the much larger problem in Accra.

In my studio, I dye silk, sew, cut fabric, and create artwork. The inner part of the scissors was born from my work, while the leftover-useless pieces of fabric-began to pile up.

The ‘Saves’ series is my way of giving new life and value to these discarded materials. Through this, I hope to contribute to the conversation on sustainability by demonstrating how even what seems useless can be repurposed.

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