Yesung Lee
Featured: May 23rd, 2025
I primarily work with yarn, using knit and crochet needles. What fascinates me is how repeated loops form a surface that encapsulates the time and rhythm embedded in the process. I enjoy observing the way the fabric flows, following the direction in which it was built—step by step, loop by loop. I often hand-dye the yarn myself, adding another layer of labor and intimacy to the work. I hope that the care and attention I invest in each stage of making can be felt by those who encounter the piece.
I'm consistently drawn to textures made from everyday materials and repetitive patterns. Because these materials are so familiar, people can often "feel" the texture without actually touching it—through memory and associations.
One piece that comes to mind is Connection I, my very first brooch work. At first glance, the surface appears to follow a repeated pattern, but there's a subtle directionality in the flow of the yarn. The metal parts seem cold at first, but as they are held and touched over time, they begin to warm—gradually holding onto the body’s heat. The texture reminds me of wearing someone else’s clothes for the first time. At first, the garment feels unfamiliar, even distant, but slowly it softens. Your body heat spreads through it, and it becomes your own. That quiet warmth—that slow transformation into something personal—continues to guide how I think about texture today.
