Taehyun Bang

Metalsmithing

I create work that is a metaphor for the vanities of life. There is a teaching in Zen Buddhism philosophy which I am immersed in: Life is full of vanity, but there is meaning and beauty when struggle happens. Like a moth flying into the flame, I work in metalsmithing to refer to meditation, discipline, and the transcendence of my limited human life.

I believe that devoting myself to intensive practice is a path to realization as a craftsman. To convey my concept, I set strict rules for the process of making and force myself to follow them. After a long and rigorous production, I destroy a portion of the work in order to meditate on the idea of rebirth and transformation.

My hand-fabricated metalwork is brought to life and activated through a variety of digital media, which serve as records of my working process. The recorded digital media often then becomes part of the final piece. These blended metaphors capture ephemeral moments and immortalize them as reflections of the Buddhist concept of samsara, the eternal life cycle. I confess my agony and delight to the audience and users, who have a limited life stream like me. Consequently, I communicate a sense of nirvana that I have found in my struggle for metalsmithing.

Taehyun Bang is a native Korean metalsmith and currently a resident artist at Pocosin Arts School in North Carolina. Bang received an MFA for Metalsmithing & Jewelry from The University of Kansas, where he taught metalsmithing to undergraduate students. He received a BFA for Metalwork & Jewelry from Kookmin University in Seoul. Before pursuing his Master’s degree, Bang worked for two years at MAADSTUDIO, a jewelry company in Seoul.

Bang’s work has been shown in juried and invited group shows. His awards include a First Place from the World Championship Belt Buckle Competition; an Honorable Mention from The Society of North American Goldsmith competition in 2017; Finalist (one of three) from the Midwest Metalsmiths Competition in 2017 and 2018; Juror’s Choice from the Lewton-Brain Foldform competition in 2018, and Honorable Mention from the Hangju Craft contest in Korea in 2012.

More on Taehyun Bang’s work can be found on our Links page.