Metalsmith's silvery wonderland takes philosophical turn

Yoo Lizzy's "The Journey with Ten Longevity Symbols ― Water/Life" (2006) on view at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art as part of her solo exhibition, "Yoo Lizzy: A Philosophic Metalsmith" / Courtesy of SeMoCA

Exhibition remembers creative life of modern craft art trailblazer Yoo Lizzy

By Park Han-sol

Glistening cascades of water, waves lapping on the wintry shore and a single unknown bud swaying back and forth in the gentle breeze wafting down a field of reeds ― such scenes that make up the wonders of nature have, for decades, been reborn in the silvery dreamland of Yoo Lizzy (1945-2013), a trailblazer in Korea's modern craft art.

Yoo Lizzy, a trailblazer in Korea's modern craft art / Courtesy of SeMoCA

Yoo was the eldest daughter of the iconic abstractionist, Yoo Young-kuk (1916-2002). Her father spent years transferring the essence of nature's sublime energy onto the flat canvas through dots, lines and brilliant colors. In a way, she followed in his footsteps, but with silver, gold and copper.

Nearly a decade after her sudden passing in 2013, the pioneering craft artist's metallic ode to Mother Nature is on view at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) in the capital city's Jongno District.

"Yoo Lizzy: A Philosophic Metalsmith" brings together a whopping number of 327 pieces ― all donated to the museum by her family early this year ― to represent her creative forays spanning over four decades.

Yoo's crafts range from silverware, interior accessories and jewelry to environmental sculptures and even funerary objects. But the common element that pervades her extensive oeuvre is her philosophical musing on the circle of life as well as the existence of humans defined within the grander forces of nature.

Yoo Lizzy's "Whispers" (1981) / Courtesy of SeMoCA

For the artist, her family, whom she viewed as "an extension of herself," formed "the basis of human life and existence," the show's curator, Lee So-hyoun, told The Korea Times.

The loving presence of her parents, who encouraged her to lead a life not just as a woman but as a creator, and her three supportive siblings is felt in a number of Yoo's earlier pieces ― including a wavy brass photo frame with a black-and-white portrait of her mother at a young age and a wooden cane with a silver knob and tip gifted to her father.

Together with senior Yoo, she also helped recreate his 1937 wood relief called "Study," which was lost amid the chaos of the 1950-53 Korean War ― thus reviving the work nearly seven decades after its birth.

Yoo Lizzy's "Flowing Stream" (2010) / Courtesy of SeMoCA

Yoo Lizzy's "Wave ― Neckpiece I" (1994) / Courtesy of SeMoCA

Along with her artistic inquiry into and visualization of human existence came her fascination with natural landscapes that pulsated with "qi," or life force.

But while nature became undeniably her muse, she made no attempt to depict its features realistically. Rather, Yoo's "sculptural snapshot" breaks down its scenery into simpler rhythmic curves and ellipses.

"As she made attempts to capture the natural universe in her own way as a craftsperson, Yoo soon felt the limits of only using metal as the base material, especially in terms of its palette," Lee noted.

Realizing that silver, gold and copper ― the go-to items for a metalsmith ― offered an extremely narrow range of colors that could not evoke the scenes of thick foliage, a deep blue ocean or a crimson sky during sunset, she began increasing her inventory of materials. Her works from then on saw a mix of metal with the likes of painted wood, anodized aluminum and graphite.

Her recurring motifs of water, wind and sky ― whether they take the form of interior decorations, jewelry or large-scale environmental sculptures within Seoul's urban fabric ― aim to offer a sense of poetic tranquility to anyone who comes across them, the artist once said.

Yoo Lizzy's "Urn ― Samjogo" (2002) / Courtesy of SeMoCA

As Yoo continued to observe nature in awe, especially the ceaselessly flowing water that was at the foundation of every life, her thoughts eventually drifted to the next stage ― the idea of death.

The turning point came in the early 2000s during the final years of senior Yoo's life, who had long been teetering on the brink of death with a cardiac pacemaker inserted in him.

"While a funeral is for the deceased, it can only be materialized by the touch of the living," she once wrote in her artist's note. "A craftsperson can join such a process by helping those left behind see off their beloved's departure with grace."

In accordance with her belief that crafts can mark a beautiful end to the final chapter of one's life, Yoo began her preparation to part with her father. She spent the following years to birth a series of delicately designed urns and Buddhist "sarira" reliquaries, as well as a wooden bier for the urn.

In fact, the intricate bier on display at the museum was used for Yoo Young-kuk's funeral service in 2002 ― and later, for her own in 2013.

A view of a wooden bier for an urn, produced by Yoo Lizzy and other artisan collaborators in 2001 / Courtesy of SeMoCA

In addition to spearheading the genre of modern craft art in Korea as a full-time metalsmith, Yoo also devoted decades of her life from 1981 to 2010 to training young minds at Seoul National University.

In 2004, she founded Chiwoo Craft Museum in Seocho District in southern Seoul as the country's first institution dedicated to metalcraft, which was renamed the Yoolizzy Craft Museum after her death.

In honor of her achievements and artistic mission, the SeMoCA announced its plans to host a biennial crafts award, sponsored and funded by Yoo's family, for the next two decades.

"Yoo Lizzy: A Philosophic Metalsmith" runs through Nov. 27 at the SeMoCA.