Eunmi Chun

For Eunmi Chun, a seemingly repulsive material such as cow intestines can be made beautiful in the right context. These byproducts of the meat industry are given new life in her brooch. Pieces of dried intestine are assembled into a charming giraffe form, its translucent quality providing an enticing glow. Seeds spout from its surface, highlighted by looped strands of the artist’s hair plated in gold. Chun’s hair also cascades from the neck of the giraffe. Here, the materials of animal, plant, and human converge, symbolizing the interconnected, cyclical nature of life.

–Emily Banas, associate curator
of decorative arts and design