





East Wind from Old Palace. 180 x 360cm. Three panel, buttons, beads, and pins. 2012.







Healing Blossoms. 170 x 826 cm. Buttons, beads, pins on wooden panel.







Empty Me. 210 x 360cm. Buttons, beads, pins. 2010.

Part mural, part sculpture, with elements of tapestry and painting, it’s almost impossible to define the work of Ran Hwang who uses thousands of components including pins, buttons and beads to create these enormous wall-sized images. The works require numerous repetitive motions and Hwang compares her process to a monk achieving zen. Via her artist statement:

I create large icons such as a Buddha or a traditional vase, using materials from the fashion industry. The process of building large installations are time consuming and repetitive and it requires manual effort which provides a form of self-meditation. I hammer thousands of pins into a wall like a monk who, facing the wall, practices Zen.

Starting July 26th Hwang will be exhibiting with Leila Heller Gallery at Art Southampton, featuring one of her newest works, Healing Blossoms (above). The 27-foot long piece is made from paper buttons, beads and sequins that have been gently hammered into 7 large panels. All imagery courtesy Leila Heller Gallery, and if you enjoyed this also see the work of Laurel Roth.

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