Hanji Unfolds: Traditional Korean Papermaking
with Su Kaiden Cho
$175 lab fee | June 14–27 | Skill-building
In this hands-on workshop, students will explore the ancient Korean art of hanji, a traditional craft that transforms mulberry bark into beautiful, durable paper. For centuries, hanji has been an integral part of Korean culture, used in applications ranging from calligraphy and interior design to fashion and contemporary art. Through guided instruction, students will learn the process of preparing natural fibers, forming sheets, and drying the paper. The work is highly tactile and physically engaging, reflecting the labor and rhythm central to traditional papermaking. This class emphasizes both traditional techniques and modern adaptations, encouraging participants to create custom papers that reflect their personal aesthetic while connecting with the deep historical and cultural significance of hanji. Students will also be encouraged to consider how papermaking can intersect and collaborate with other mediums, including ink drawing, printmaking, and weaving with natural fibers. This workshop will explore the historical and contemporary significance of hanji, with special emphasis on its use in art and design. We will study the work of renowned hanji artist Lee Seung Chul, whose innovative installations and sculptures push the boundaries of this traditional material, and Yang Sang Hoon, known for intricate, geometric compositions that merge craftsmanship with modern abstraction. Readings will include selections from Hanji Unfurled: One Journey into Korean Papermaking by Aimee Lee, which offers a comprehensive look at hanji traditions. A screening of the film Hanji (2011) by Im Kwon-taek will further illuminate the material’s enduring cultural relevance. Students will create layered hanji artworks inspired by Lee Seung Chul’s installations or geometric compositions influenced by Yang Sang Hoon’s abstraction. As a final collaborative project, the class will work together to produce a large-scale hanji sculpture for the Ox-Bow School of Art & Artists’ Residency, celebrating the medium’s expressive and communal potential.
SAIC students: This is a 3-credit course; use the course code FIBER 608 001.
Su Kaiden Cho (he/him; b. South Korea) is an artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture, and installation, exploring the intersections of Eastern and Western diasporas. His work is deeply rooted in phenomenology, engaging with the interplay between the visible and invisible, often through material studies and spatial explorations. Recently, his focus has shifted toward postminimalist approaches, experimenting with monochrome and color-field compositions, with an emphasis on texture and dimensional surfaces. Cho’s practice reflects his ongoing investigation into absence, presence, and the uncanny. He earned his MFA in Painting and Drawing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and now serves as an educator, holding a teaching fellowship at SAIC. His artistic achievements include prestigious residencies, fellowships, and awards, including a residency at the International Center for the Arts in Umbria, Italy, led by Michelle Grabner, and the Ox-Bow Summer Residency in 2024. Cho has exhibited in over 20 solo exhibitions and more than 40 group exhibitions, both nationally and internationally.