24. Studio Jinsik
Korean designer Jinsik Kim has been on our radar ever since he founded his studio in Seoul in 2013; we find his ability to seamlessly intersect materials, such as stone and metal (as in the 2018 series of ‘Weight’ bookcases in stainless steel, metal wire and Boryeong stone, pictured), endlessly fascinating. This fearless aesthetic was also noticed by Sato, who has been following Kim’s career since his ECAL days. ‘Kim’s approach toward materials is very inspiring; he is not afraid of combining different materials, but looks as if he is enjoying the jam session with them,’ says Sato.
Kim’s pared-back aesthetics are the result of regular observations of his environment. ‘If you look at old houses in Korea,’ he says, ‘decorations are often kept to a minimum, so that materials and their original texture and colour are revealed. As time goes by, their natural beauty emerges.’ He often finds inspiration in the time he spent living with his grandparents: ‘These memories have affected me: since then, I think that the atmosphere of a space is more important than its visible function.’
Kim’s current focus is on integrating touch, smell and sound in his designs. The results of this exploration will be channelled into a brand he is developing with a Seoul-based entrepreneur, to ‘create an intersection of five senses through objects and space’.