Symmetry and repetition distinguish the work of Subin Seol, who combines and contrasts the distinctive visual language of her native Korean with art deco to create unexpected furniture pieces.
The two artistic traditions have little in common at first glance, with one defined by decadence and the other by a rejection of it.
But the designer has managed to unify them within a four-piece collection, simply called Korean Art Deco, which won her the young designer 2020 award at last year's Seoul Design Festival.
The Korean Art Deco collection spans four furniture and homeware pieces, among them the Hoop Chair (top image)
"Interestingly, the styles are completely different in appearance and different in direction, but they have similar elements," Seol told Dezeen. "Therefore, it was not difficult to merge them in harmony." "I think the most distinctive features of art deco are symmetry and repetition. And symmetry is also one of the essential elements for the simplicity of Korean art," the designer continued.
The seating design is perfectly symmetrical along its central axis
This is most distinctly seen in Seol's Hoop Chair, which is divided into two perfectly identical halves by a slim, metal tube that runs along the entire length of the design like a central axis.
On both sides, the armrests extend into sweeping circles, rendered in sleek black metal that nods to the simple linework of seoye calligraphy.
It is made from powder-coated metal tubes
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