Jinsik Kim Mines Mountains For His New Collection, Weight

Drawing inspiration from past and present questions around material usage, the project reveals the texture and weight of stone through a series of minimalist designs. Rather than process stone to the point where it loses traces of origin, Kim’s ‘Weight’ collection is unrefined: “It is to reveal the texture and high density of the rock as it was mined”, Kim explains, “rather than the beauty of the finished surface.” These rocks are juxtaposed against the abstract metal plinths that they sit atop, a material dissonance apparent between the smooth silver surface of steel and the coarseness of stone. Each piece is designed as a functional art object, one meant to conceptually intrigue the viewer—but also to have a practical use. The plinths can be used to store books, whilst the rocks are designed to inspire philosophical thought about the weight of materials and the mining of mountains.