The Dwell 24: Jinyeong Yeon

Jinyeong Yeon likes to work with fragile and discarded things. In his designs, textile waste, scrap aluminum, and old polystyrene resurface as lawn chairs and coffee tables. 

"My main concern is that our values are blurred or disconnected from our interests," Yeon says, lamenting cultural obsessions with expensive and expendable products. The statement hints at the ecological zeal that has run through his work since he set up shop in Seoul in 2019. 

His objects are invitations to ponder the beauty hiding in dumpsters and landfills, and the transformations that might turn waste into useful or wondrous things. 

In his Padded Seating series, Yeon collaborated with South Korean brand Shirter and used its unsold puffer jackets to create furniture. It’s a clear example of how Yeon wants to change the ways we evaluate design. "I think giving new values to beauty," he says, "is one of the most meaningful things an artist can do."

Read the Q&A below to learn more about Yeon.

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea

What's the last thing you designed? I collaborated with Christian Dior as part of the house's 2021 Milan Design Week exhibition. I reinterpreted their signature Medallion Chair using aluminum sand castings.

Do you have a daily creative ritual? I value the act of seeing. Watching media like runway shows and films is very helpful to me when I'm creating something. 

How do you procrastinate? I like traveling to look at architecture and go to exhibitions. I recently went to Jeju Island, South Korea where I saw buildings my architect Itami Jun. 

What everyday object would you like to redesign? Why? I would like to redesign chairs as they are a part of everyday life that can have a variety of meanings. It is an object with a familiar feeling because it is the closest thing to us, but even a small change to it can have a profound impact on the user.

Who are your heroes (in design, in life, in both)? I respect people in various fields. Recently, I worked on a public art project in Seoul and was inspired by Olafur Eliason Studios.

What's your earliest memory of an encounter with design? When I was growing up, my father was a car designer and my mother designed and made bedding. I have a lot of memories from going to my their workplaces.

Finish this statement: All design should... have a beautiful color that suits it.

How do you want design to be different after we emerge from the pandemic? We should be more concerned about design's impact on the environment. 

You can learn more about Yeon by visiting his Instagram.