Shinkyu Shon Fuses Tempered Glass, Steel, And Wood For His Debut Split Collection

“The reason to conflict and divide the three materials of wood, stainless steel, and tempered glass in these works is not to simply acquire aesthetic beauty, but to blend the distinctive features of each material,” explains the designer. The objects include a horizontal and vertical shelving unit, a bench, a dining table, and coffee table, and are made from pine logs that evoke the timber used to build traditional Korean houses, called hanoks. “It represents the natural beauty and curves of Korea,” Shon says. The contrast between East and West is expressed through the use of wood, a material dating back many thousands of years, and glass, a more recent invention. “Glass epitomizes Western beauty; it is straightforward, manmade, and mass-produced,” the designer notes. “However when combined with a traditional material like wood, it has a beautiful aesthetic quality.”