Ordinary things that are always around us, yet often go unnoticed, capture my attention in everyday life. These seemingly insignificant and delicate beings, frequently overlooked for their beauty, inspire me. I consider mundane routines and all the immaturity behind the extraordinary aspects in life pure and genuine. This series of work is to explore the true value of normalcy and attempt to visualize the importance of the ordinary. 

 Each work shows how an insignificant being becomes meaningful and valuable when amassed in large quantities, utilized to create seemingly precious elements, or treated differently than it used to be. For me, this is a way to reflect on how valuable normal truly is.

Changed Value shows how an insignificant being becomes meaningful and valuable when amassed in large quantity by using an ordinary material, polymer clay, and putting small pieces of them together. By changing the position of two materials in an art piece, I am changing the value of two materials, making an ordinary material special and a precious material commonplace.

Accumulated Mundane shows how an insignificant being becomes meaningful and valuable when amassed in large quantity by using an ordinary material, polymer clay, and putting small pieces of them together.

Left Behind is a bracelet that resembles the ring my grandmother had before she passed away. A ring she bought at a local market for less than 10 dollars became the most precious jewelry to my mom after her passing. Despite its rusted metal and fake stones, it now holds more value than a diamond gold ring. This piece expresses the value of ordinary items that are left behind.

Double Side of Language expresses the superficial behaviors and words of people and the real truth in our minds after going through a long period of pandemic which we got used to hiding a lot of things. The organized lines on the front of the brooch represents the superficial behaviors and sophisticated language, and the tangled and chaotic lines on the back represents the actual minds and thoughts of people which could be immature, not organized and overwhelming.

Remaining Immaturity is made with materials initially meant to be discarded after creating other artworks. Leftover materials represent the immaturity hidden behind extraordinary aspects of life. By placing a mirror inside the piece, I am letting myself to look into my own immaturity and observe the ordinary around me.

Gem Ring is made with materials that were initially meant to be discarded after making other art works. By utilizing materials that are easily overlooked to create a seemingly precious element: gem, they become something valuable.

It's There is a series of work including a huge installation piece and two jewelry pieces made with more than 2000 circles. Each circle is made with PLA, a 3D printing plastic, by ironing and flattening the filament. These circles and the making process of them express the value of ordinary days when they are gathered together. 

Left Behind


Seojung Kang

Solo exhibition 2024

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