‘Pop Craft Structure’ Solo Exhibition by Gyuhan Lee in Hong Kong, China

WOAW Gallery is pleased to present the solo exhibition ‘Pop Craft Structure’ by South Ko[...]

WOAW Gallery is pleased to present the solo exhibition ‘Pop Craft Structure’ by South Korean artist Gyuhan Lee. The exhibition title stems from his transformation of mass-produced consumer packaging into structural designs. He uses famous brand packaging and easily accessible materials to create furniture and household items, endowing waste with practical functions and further drawing attention to consumerist behaviors. The exhibition will be on display from November 7 to December 16. This is also the artist’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong.
Most of us are familiar with the crinkling sound of paper bags in our hands. We tear them open to use the items inside and rarely pay attention to the material under our fingertips. We casually crumple them up, just like setting aside later thoughts. This South Korean artist has injected new life into ‘worthless’ materials with his own hands, skillfully weaving recycled fibers with traditional Korean paper and transforming disposable waste into exquisite handicrafts.
For Lee, finding these easily accessible materials is the beginning of his creative process. He creates using the images of famous popular brands that he consumes in his daily life, such as McDonald’s and Nike, and regards this process as a repetitive one. Since many of the materials he uses already have predetermined logos and vivid colors, Gyuhan Lee strives to seek harmony between the structure and form of his works, as well as between color and balance. In this new series, he incorporates Hermès blotting paper into lamps, focusing more on the images of popular brands than ever before. Inspired by the Hermès building in Ginza, Tokyo, two new lamps imitate the window shutters of the building.
A thin layer of recycled paper hides Lee’s meticulous craftsmanship. He stretches the material onto the frame, turns brand symbols into colorful patterns, and then soft light shines gently through the lampshade. In his other works, he welds cardboard to plywood, turning the fragile surface of Nike shoe boxes into fashionable designs with smooth edges, and the originally shiny patterns become even more vibrant. As an artist and designer, Lee not only reimagines waste management but also rethinks consumer behavior. Through traditional Korean crafts, he realizes the infinite possibilities of recycling and reuse. The full text is available from November 7 to December 16. The performance time and duration are subject to the on-site situation.