Lightweight Tableware By Seugbin Yang
- Words
- Monika Mróz
With his latest elegant tableware collection, ‘21G’, Seugbin Yang pays a tribute to ‘Ott-chil’, the traditional Korean lacquer technique that is slowly beginning to disappear.
“I want people to feel and experience the lightness and the usefulness of this tableware even it is made of paper.”
Made by using secretions from the Ott tree, the lacquer had been for long claimed to be the best material for coating the tableware in Korea. Apart from being durable and elegant, it’s also extremely labour intensive and costly to produce, which is why it’s rarely used nowadays. Wanting to uphold the ‘Ott-chil’ technique, Yang went to Korea to study the intricate craft and apply it into his work. However instead of applying the lacquer on the wood as it is usually done, the Eindhoven-based designer worked with a paper base to make the pieces light and accessible. Refreshingly modern and delightfully polished, Yang’s objects are also waterproof, antibacterial and eco-friendly thanks to the Ott tree lacquer’s properties. For more tasteful kitchenware, take a look at our shop.
All images © courtesy of Seungbin Yang