Heart of stone: NY’s Maison Gerard stages retrospective for sculptor Yongjin Han

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to Wallpaper. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The New York gallery Maison Gerard has devoted its latest staging to the monumental, abstract stone works of the Korean sculptor Yongjin Han. The retrospective, which opened this week, traces the master sculptor’s career from its inception to the present day. Widely respected and considered a pioneer who adapted Korea’s traditions of stone carving to refined sculpture, Han’s hand-tooled works are a poetic articulation of natural form.
Han’s sculptures respect the provenance, character and energy of the stone used. The 20 sculptures exhibited at Maison Gerard – Han’s first exhibition in New York – also include a selection of early wood works and a bronze piece, in addition to key stone works. An immensely personal selection, Han has also included several unfinished creations that he still deems significant, thus offering visitors unprecedented insight into his simple, yet physically demanding process. Han sums up his meticulously empathetic approach as such: ‘As stone has been around since the beginning of time, it has much to teach us if we care to slow down and listen. Stone is the backbone supporting the world. It contains all time.’
To do the poetic works due justice, Maison Gerard has recreated Han’s studio as a backdrop for the exhibition. An array of drawings and sketches, which Han makes during his travels, featuring everyday objects including coffee cups and cigarette packs, are also on display. With a career spanning decades and works in numerous museums and private collections worldwide, the opportunity to get up close and intimate with Han’s practice is one not to be missed.
Widely respected and considered a pioneer who adapted Korea’s traditions of stone carving to refined sculpture, Han’s hand-tooled works are a poetic articulation of natural form. Pictured: Unfinished, 1993. Photography: Robert Levin
To do the poetic works due justice, Maison Gerard has recreated Han’s studio as a backdrop for the exhibition
The 20 sculptures exhibited at Maison Gerard – Han’s first exhibition in New York – also include a selection of early wood works and a bronze piece, in addition to key stone works
Han has also included several unfinished creations that he still deems significant, thus offering visitors unprecedented insight into his simple, yet physically demanding process
INFORMATION
'Quiet Profundity: the work of Korean master stone carver Yongjin Han' is on view until 22 August. For more details, visit Maison Gerard's website
ADDRESS
Maison Gerard
53 East 10th Street
New York, NY 10003
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Pei-Ru Keh is the US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru has held various titles at Wallpaper* since she joined in 2007. She currently reports on design, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru has taken a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars and actively seeks out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.
-
Ronan Bouroullec book merges art, design and everyday life
‘Ronan Bouroullec: Day After Day’, from Phaidon, is a visual inventory of the French designer’s work, artistic output and daily inspiration
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Inside the gleaming new Comme des Garçons store in Paris
Comme des Garçons reveals a four-storey new retail space in Paris, housing lines previously only available in Japan, as well as exclusive reissues of Rei Kawakubo’s collectible furniture
By Jack Moss Published
-
Eva Jospin and Ruinart put the fizz in Frieze London 2023
Champagne house Ruinart brings artist Eva Jospin’s vision of its terroir to Frieze London 2023, and celebrates with a limited edition Jeroboam of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
By Simon Mills Published
-
How to conquer the Atomic City: the story behind U2 at the new Las Vegas Sphere
U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere redefines the 21st-century rock concert. We spoke to the band and its team about the genesis of this expansive art and music experience that marks the opening of the high-tech venue
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ceramicist Jonathan Cross on crafting art from desert materials in the Mojave
Jonathan Cross’ flourishing practice incorporates local sand and stones from his base on the edge of Joshua Tree to create minimalist works with a unique patina
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
New glass sculpture creates a verdant wonderland at Apple’s Cupertino HQ
‘Mirage’ at Apple Park is the work of Zeller & Moye and artist Katie Paterson, a shimmering array of glass columns that snakes through the grounds of the company’s monumental HQ
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ken Gun Min’s mixed-media montages reframe cultural influences and queer identity
South Korean-born, LA-based Ken Gun Min illusively combines painting, embroidery and illustration
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Jack Pierson’s photographs and sculptures go on show in New York
Artist Jack Pierson draws on life experiences for a new show, ‘Pomegranates’, at Lisson Gallery, New York
By Hannah Silver Published
-
TikTok gets tangible: artist Devon Rodriguez opens his first exhibition, in New York
Devon Rodriguez, who until now has reserved his work for his 31 million TikTok followers, has opened his first exhibition at UTA Artist Space’s pop-up gallery in Chelsea, New York
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Man Ray’s sculptures go on show in New York
‘Man Ray: Other Objects’ opens at Luxembourg + Co, New York, revealing their author’s ‘artistic revolution’
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Kim Gordon on art and the iPhone, band dynamics, and her next step
American visual artist and musician Kim Gordon, formerly of Sonic Youth, discusses her recent show of paintings, creative collaboration and new ventures
By Mary Cleary Published