Setbyol Oh

Thousands of handcrafted sheets of paper

• Setbyol creates lamps and lighting out of paper
• Her practice is a form of tribute to the Korean Buddhist culture of lanterns
• Her lamps are reminiscent of living creatures

When Setbyol Oh handles folded paper, she remembers moments from her childhood. In spring, the streets of Seoul were filled with colourful lanterns as Koreans celebrated Buddha's birthday. Paper is an important part of Korean culture, yet Setbyol only rediscovered this material by chance in the back corner of a specialty shop in Germany. Lanterns have become a forgotten relic of Korean Buddhist culture and are hardly found on the streets anymore. Through her work, Setbyol has found a way to revive and preserve this tradition, with contemporary flair. She uses rattan to create rods for her lamp sculptures, and a great many layers of tissue paper which she folds, twists and colours to create delicate and life-like lampshades.

Interview

©All rights reserved

©All rights reserved

What specific techniques do you master?

My lighting objects are made of rattan and handmade mulberry tree paper, which is tear-resistant and moisture-resistant. Hundreds of handcrafted sheets of pleated, cut, coloured, and twisted tissue paper sheets are arranged to form organic shapes. The twisted tips give a lively appearance, reminiscent of living beings.

How do you combine tradition with innovation in your work?

I have showcased my light creations in Korea, my home country. Some elderly Koreans can draw connections between my artwork and the traditional lotus lanterns that adorn the streets during Buddha's birthday festivities in May. However, as I have honed my own techniques and evolved the forms over time, the association has become less obvious.

Are your lamps influenced by your fine art background?

While studying at HfbK in Hamburg, I attended their workshops extensively, delving into ceramics and video experimentation. Working with my hands has always been a profound passion of mine. In the realm of free art, I delighted in crafting collages and employing the arrow symbol as a motif, akin to my use of paper on illuminated objects today.

How do you craft your lamps?

My objects are covered with nearly identical sheets of paper. The way I glue the folded papers determines the overall harmony of the shape and size of the lighting. With each folded paper sheet having a tip, I can orient them in different directions, adding a high level of liveliness and dynamism to the surface. It is the lighting that adds an extra touch of drama.

Setbyol Oh is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2013

Works

©All rights reserved

©All rights reserved

©All rights reserved

©All rights reserved

©All rights reserved

Where