YUNHWAN KIM
Yunhwan Kim is a South Korean artist who has, in the past 5 years, made a significant mark in the world of collectible design. With his distinctive line of works called the “Unintended Series,” which includes cabinets, tables, screens, mirrors, and lighting, Kim has captivated audiences with his remarkable craftsmanship and artistic vision. Initially studying woodworking in school, Kim developed a hands-on approach to his art, embracing the tactile nature of the craft. His journey as an artist began with a series of small hand-carved wood objects such as trays, vessels, and bowls, which possessed what he refers to as “unintended shapes.” Intrigued by these forms, Kim started exploring their potential by connecting them, reversing their orientation to reveal dips and arcs, and modifying their shapes. Through this process, the works took on a life of their own, unfolding and evolving into large abstract pieces that eventually grew into his signature sculptural furniture.
What sets Kim’s creations apart is their irregular, improvisational, and organic nature. His forms vaguely
resemble the silhouette of spilled water, embodying a sense of fluidity and topography. Large contoured shapes define his pieces, interconnecting like tributaries or branchlike forms, creating an intricate and visually captivating composition. The fusion of these elements results in furniture that blurs the boundaries between function and art, challenging conventional notions of design.
In his latest works, Kim has ventured beyond wood and started incorporating cast aluminum and bronze. By mimicking the hand-carved wood forms in these highend materials, he has firmly established his presence in the contemporary realm. This exploration of new mediums and materials adds a layer of sophistication and experimentation to his art, pushing the boundaries of his creative expression.
Yunhwan Kim’s journey as an artist showcases the power of intuition and experimentation. His talent lies in transforming unintended shapes into sculptural furniture, showcasing his artistic vision and craftsmanship. Through the “Unintended Series,” Kim is challenging preconceived design notions and making a lasting impression in the world of collectible design.
Unintended Wall Hanging Cabinet II , 2021
sand-blasted ash wood, black urethane, gold plated aluminum, mirror
48h x 60w x 21d in
121.92h x 152.40w x 53.34d cm
Unintended Wall Hanging Cabinet III , 2022
Urethane black on ash, super mirror, brass
47h x 48w x 20d in
119.38h x 121.92w x 50.80d cm
Unintended Bronze Console I , 2023 Bronze 35h x 81w x 27d in 88.90h x 205.74w x 68.58d cm
Unintended Low Table , 2023 Ash
15.75h x 63w x 46.25d in 40.01h x 160.02w x 117.47d cm
Unintended Low Cabinet II , 2020
walnut, brass
39h x 60w x 20d in 99.06h x 152.40w x 50.80d cm
Unintended Low Cabinet I , 2018
Cherry wood, natural oil
20.25h x 81.75w x 21.50d in 51.44h x 207.65w x 54.61d cm
Unintended Low Cabinet III , 2023
walnut, brass
40h x 65w x 18d in 101.60h x 165.10w x 45.72d cm
Unintended Stool , 2021
Cast Aluminum in various finishes
17.72h x 15.75w x 15.75d in 45h x 40w x 40d cm
Unintended High Cabinet , 2018
Ash wood, black stain, natural oil
82.50h x 41.50w x 21.50d in
209.55h x 105.41w x 54.61d cm
Unintended Wall Cabinet , 2018
Ash wood, black stain, natural oil
43.50h x 29w x 11.75d in
110.49h x 73.66w x 29.84d cm
Unintended Screen , 2022
238.76h
Black Urethane, Ash Wood, Brass 94h x 66w x 36d in
x 167.64w x 91.44d cm
TODD MERRILL STUDIO
Todd Merrill Studio represents an international group of established and emerging artists, each with a singular artistic vision and unprecedented point of view. In creating unique works of collectible design, each artist takes a hands-on approach that intersects contemporary design, fine art, traditional craft techniques, and pioneering innovation.
Individually, through meticulous craftsmanship and rigorous studio experimentation, each has developed leading-edge, proprietary methods that break previously set inherent limitations of conventional materials like wood, metal, plaster, concrete, ceramics, glass, and resin. Their intimate studio approach fosters an atmosphere of creativity where the work rendered significantly bears the hand of the artist.
Collectively the artists are helping to create a new visual vocabulary that advances long-held, established artistic boundaries. Their dynamic, one-of-a-kind, and frequently groundbreaking works contribute to today’s increasingly relevant grey space between art and design.
With the gallery’s support, the artists’ works have entered the collections of major private and public patrons and prestigious museums including the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York; the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; the Museum of Art and Design in New York; the High Museum
in Atlanta; the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; the Carnegie Museum of Art in Philadelphia, the Houston Museum of Fine Art, and the Brooklyn Museum in New York.
In 2000, Todd Merrill opened Todd Merrill Antiques which quickly became renowned for its glamorous and eclectic mix of twentieth-century furniture and lighting. The pioneering gallery was one of the of the first to promote modernist and postmodernist American studio artisans including Paul Evans, Phillip Lloyd Powell, George Nakashima, Karl Springer, James Mont, Tommi Parzinger, among others.
In 2008, Rizzoli published Merrill’s “Modern Americana: Studio Furniture from High Craft to High Glam”, the first ever authoritative examination of the great studio furniture makers and designers who, from 1940 thru the 1990s defined American high style. To celebrate the tenth anniversary, in 2018 Rizzoli published an expanded edition, adding 60 pages to his original book. This survey of the period continues with two massive additional chapters focused on Women Makers and Showrooms.
After the publication of Modern Americana in 2008, Merrill began to shift the mission of the gallery and started the Studio Contemporary program which has today become his primary focus.
