Seeun Kim MSDC

Seeun Kim is an Oxford-based South Korean metal craftswoman, visual artist and educator. From her perspective, she believes that the human hand is a gift from human evolution. Even though today there are several technologies, handicraft products have a high scarcity and sophisticated beauty compared to mass–produced manmade products. Furthermore, there is an inexpressible complexity in the handicraft world that a machine cannot imitate. Seeun loves making things and believes in their value. Her main skills are delicate metal skills and since 2012 she has made over 1000 metal works to refine her sophisticated handicraft skills. She thinks that lots of practices, endeavours and failures are her best teachers and her worthwhile experiences are such a valuable book in her life. Moreover, as Kim is an innovative material researcher she has been focusing on finding diverse materials to combine with her delicate metal skills. Also, she pursues to keep the balance between the tradition and the modern in her work. As a result, Seeun has completed various art history jewellery projects, which combined her delicate metal skills with fascinating art histories beyond the Western and Eastern cultures.

In addition, Kim is deeply interested in various fields including art, culture, humanity, society, history, science and environment in a global society. As she is a member of modern society and an advocate of pluralism, she thinks it is important to keep the balance two factors the cultivation of a critical mindset and the maintenance of an esteem mindset about various issues of our society. Also, today we live in a global society. Because our society consists of various types of people, she thinks that the responsibility of the individual extends beyond themselves and encompasses their role in society. The problems faced by individuals, society and the state will differ depending on what society they are in and what institutions they have. Perhaps today we already think of the world in terms of it being an international family or global neighbours. Seeun thinks that the reason for the existence of our society is to make us more advanced and happy. Thus, she has completed diverse social art projects that combine jewellery with various global social issues. Her social art projects mainly involve jewellery and metal objects based on humanities and social sciences. Also with photography and film, Seeun conveys her thinking in the most inclusive ways possible – using text, British sign language and English braille. She hopes that her work will provide the people who appreciate it with an opportunity for self–reflection and awareness. She uses her work to communicate her many ideas; working with courage and dreaming of a society where everyone can live with a smile. She always endeavours to communicate with various public around the world through her social art projects.

Seeun Kim has faithfully trained in Japanese traditional handicraft skills and precious metals as an advanced specialist with full-time attendance for 4 years at Hiko Mizuno College of Jewellery in Tokyo, which is the first technical college in Japan approved as an educational corporation in the field of jewellery. She won the 4–year perfect attendance award at her graduation ceremony Hiko Mizuno College of Jewellery in Japan. Furthermore, as an alumna of the Royal College of Art, she has excellently learnt a lot about British jewellery and metalcrafts during her attending college for 2 years in London. After successfully learning jewellery and metalcrafts in both Tokyo and London, Seeun admirably completed professional practices in art education, which are focused on educational research and academic study with visual arts at Oxford Brookes University and she was awarded a merit from Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, UK. Furthermore, Kim was awarded a certificate from prestigious institution. During her time learning about international ethics and global justice at the University of Oxford, UK she broadened her horizons internationally and developed her empirical knowledge of various global issues in greater depth.

In addition, a number of Seeun Kim’s extraordinary craftworks have been globally patented. Also, over 100 of her major works have been acquired by globally respected museums including the Oriental Museum – Durham University, National Museum of Scotland; the UK, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art – Cornell University, International Art Museum of America; the USA, Iksan Jewellery Museum, Byeokbong Korea Jewellery Museum, World Jewellery Museum Seoul and Korea National University Museum of Cultural Heritage – Cultural Heritage Administration of the Republic of Korea; Republic of Korea for the permanent public collections. Moreover, her various social art projects have been exhibited and collaborated with renowned public institutions including the NHS (The UK National Health Service – Arts for Health & Well-being Project, Since 2020) Foundation Trust, Westminster Reference Library, MyVision Oxfordshire – Supporting Visually Impaired People, Oxford Human Rights Festival, Oxford International Women’s Festival, Oxfordshire Artweeks, Saint Louis Art Gallery Oxford, The North Wall Arts Centre Oxford, Fusion Arts Oxford, Modern Art Oxford, The Oxfordshire Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum Oxford – University of Oxford. In addition, Seeun Kim’s art history project has been posted to the archives of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation in Germany, which means she is the first Korean to be listed in the Korean part of the Digital Atlas of Design and Art Education beyond the Bauhaus of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. Bauhaus and its sites in Weimar and Dessau, Germany have been included in the UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage List.

After building up a wealth of professional art careers internationally, she has been focusing on the art education field to nurture talented students in our global society. As an educator, she focuses on three factors in her work. Firstly, to esteem each student’s diversity and their various perspectives. Secondly, to have a strong sense of responsibility to her students so that there is not a person who is left out in her teaching. Lastly, to offer an equal opportunity to all students in her teaching. She thinks these three points are fundamental duties and important virtues for an educator.

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