THOMSON

Solo Exhibition - 1 March - 29 March, 2025
REDBASE Art Sydney


The Thomson series by Jihyun Park repurposes used wooden figures from the Domusong technique, a printing method in Korea. Domusong, originally developed by Thomas Charles Thompson and later adapted as "Tomuson" in Japan and "Domusong" in Korea, involves stamping curvy shapes—such as circles and hearts—using a press machine. This technique, primarily for creating stickers and non-standard-shaped boxes or envelopes, involves crafting a custom blade, attaching it to plywood to form a frame, and then using a press to cut sheets one at a time. The frames, once their products are made, are discarded, with uniquely designed frames less likely to be reused.

Park has drawn attention to the unique characteristics of these discarded wooden frames. After observing the waste materials on Euljiro printing street, he began collecting them. Park's studio in the Saemaeul Building became a repository for these frames, which he transformed into intriguing shapes and heights. By covering them with pigment mixed with resin, he exploits the gaps and irregularities created during the molding process—where straight-lined blades are bent or folded by the press. This method allows resin to seep through the joints, creating vibrant overlays of color on the wooden frames.