Myung Urso

CONTEMPORARY ALTERNATIVE
Rochester, NY

The use of paper and fabric is a common thread in Korean culture, from their traditions of handmade paper such as hanji and joomchi, to the bojagi gift wrap quilts popularized in craft by Chunghie Lee. Myung Urso has been a leading contemporary artist in employing paper and other alternative materials in jewelry, and my mother was an early appreciator of her work. This piece uses sewn silk to depict embryos, with the sterling silver forms mimicking its shape to create a dramatic necklace that is hung around the neck, rather than fastened with a clasp.