My work is about the tension between structure and sensuality. I am interested in framing female identity through the lens of beauty, control, dignity, strength and vulnerability. By building simple structural units into complex sculptural forms, organic shapes give way to fortified architectural systems. Steel wire is used as basic material, and a continuous line of wire is shaped into interpenetrating forms. As multiple units complete a perfect structure, the whole becomes animated and my jewelry comes to life. 

The human body is the perfect context for my three-dimensional forms. Only when the body ornaments are perfectly installed on the wearer, does an emotional and structural rapport begin. As people imagine building an ideal house of their own, I also imagine building my house of jewelry on the human body.

Heejin Hwang, Korea.


Education:
2012 MFA Art Metals, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
2011 MA Art Metals, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
2007 MFA Metalwork & Jewelry, Seoul National University, Korea
2004 BFA Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Konkuk University, Korea 

Attended Workshops:
2011 Weaving for Sculptural Forms, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC (two-week workshop) | Ragas and Sagas: Telling Tales with Fiber, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME | Weaving for Sculptural Forms, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC
2010 Mark Making in Enamel, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC 

Permanent Collections:
2012 Cominelli Foundation’s permanent collection of contemporary jewelry, San Felice del Benaco, Lake Garda (Italy)

Awards:
2011 Elizabeth R. Raphael Prize, Finalist, Society for Contemporary Craft | Rio Grande Award, Jewelry + Objects Exhibition, Midland, MI
2010 LEAP Award, Finalist, Society for Contemporary Craft
2007 5th Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Finalist, Korea
2005 4th Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Finalist, Korea | Inhwa Scholarship, Seoul National University, Korea
2001 2nd Korea Arts and Crafts Awards, Korea 

Solo Exhibitons:
2012 ‘Sensation’, Art Lofts Gallery, Madison, WI
2011 ‘Magnetic Ornament’, Seven Floor Gallery, Madison, WI 

Selected Juried Exhibitions:
2013 Fabricated: A wearable Art Exhibition, Target gallery, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA | Ferrous, Velvet Da Vinch Gallery, San Francisco, CA and Crafthaus
2012 The Body Adorned online exhibition, SNAG
2012 Exhibition In Motion: Pomp and Swagger, The Westin Kierland Resort (Kierland Grand 2/3), Scottsdale, AZ | Design MMoCA, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison, WI | The LEAP Award (Feature), The Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA |Raphael Founder’s Prize: Transformation, The Society for Cotemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
2011 Jewelry + Objects (catalogue), Rio Grande Award (see Awards section), Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI | Wisconsin Artists Biennial 2011, Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha, WI | Exhibition in motion: Object Performed, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, WA (in conjunction with the 2011 Society of North American Goldsmith’s conference) | La Moda Processa, Fashion Show Runway
Monona Terrace, Madison, WI (in conjunction with the Textile Apparel Student Association, UW-Madison)
2010 NCEG 10th International Juried Enamel Exhibition, Lireille-Gallery of Contemporary Jewelry and Art, Oakland, CA | No Boundaries: SNAG Student Exhibition, The Glassell Junior School, Houston, TX | Forward: UW-madison graduate student exhibition, Co-Prosperity Sphere, Chicago, IL (in conjunction with the annual CAA conference) | REFINED VI: Back to Basics (national juried exhibition, catalog)
The Art Center at The Old Opera House, Nacogdoches, TX | Art from the Heartland, The Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN
2007 15th Silver Triennale (international touring exhibition), Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus, Hanau, Germany, Die Neue Sammlung- The International Design Museum Munich, Munich, Germany

Exhibitions:
2012 Hairdo, Quirk Gallery, Richmond, VA | Heat Exchange (exhibition of enamel works), Shemer Art Center & Museum, Phoenix, AZ | Ossuaries , Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, WI | The LEAP Award (Feature), The Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA | Raphael Founder’s Prize: Transformation, The Society for Cotemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA (catalogue)
2011 Jewelry + Objects, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI (catalogue) | Wisconsin Artists Biennial, Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha, WI | Reprospectives , Art Lofts Gallery, Madison, WI | CONNECT: Metals Exhibition, Georgtown Art & cultural center, Seattle, WA | Counterflux: Defensive Ornament, Seattle’s G. Gibson Gallery, Seattle, WA | Exhibition in motion: Object Performed, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, WA | My Space (two-person exhibition), American Girl Art Gallery, Middleton, WI | La Moda Processa, Fashion Show Runway, Monona Terrace, Madison, WI | *Magnetic Ornament: Solo Exhibition, Seventh Floor Gallery, Madison, WI | ‘Caput Mortuum’, Seventh Floor Gallery & Art Lofts Gallery, Madison, WI
2010 NCEG 10th International Juried Enamel Exhibition, Lireille-Gallery of Contemporary Jewelry and Art, Oakland, CA | ‘Gallery Night’, Art Lofts Gallery, Madison, WI | ‘No Boundaries’, SNAG Student Exhibition, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX | ‘Madison Biennale’, Seventh Floor Gallery, Madison, WI | CAA CONFERENCE: ‘Forward’ (UW-madison Graduate Student Exhibition), Chicago, IL | 2010 REFINED VI, SFA Gallery, Nacogdoches, TX | ‘Art from the Heartland’, The Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN
2009 ‘908 Group’, Art Lofts Gallery, Madison, WI | ‘Talking Hands’-Spectrum of contemporary Metal works, Museum of Art MOA, Seoul, Korea
2007 15th Silver Triennial (international touring exhibition), Hanau, Germany. | ‘The Expression of Oppressed Desires’: MFA Exhibition, Seoul National University, Korea | ‘The Aged’, Insa Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea | Cooking & Tool, Korea Craft Promotion Foundation, Seoul, Korea
2006 ‘Kitchen & Tool’, Gana Art Space, Seoul, Korea | ‘Human Now’, Woosuk Hall, Seoul, Korea
2004 Gwangju Biennale ‘Ecometro Project, Subway station-Geumnamro 4st, Gwangju, Korea 

Grants:
2011 The Hoover and Strong Scholarship, The Society of North American Goldsmith | The Haystack Summer Workshop Scholarship for UW Arts | Patt Babb (Full) Scholarship, Penland School of Crafts
2010 University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate student Travel Grant | Eleanor Moty Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Madison | Fred and Valmai Fenster Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Madison | Conference Student Scholarhsip, The Society of North American Goldsmith | John Neff Memorial (full) Scholarship, Penland School of Crafts
2000 Seong Scholarship, Konkuk University, Korea 

Scholarships:
2011 The Hoover and Strong Scholarship, The Society of North American Goldsmith | The Haystack Summer Workshop Scholarship for UW Arts | Patt Babb (Full) Scholarship, Penland School of Crafts
2010 University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate student Travel Grant | Eleanor Moty Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Madison | Fred and Valmai Fenster Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Madison | Conference Student Scholarhsip, The Society of North American Goldsmith | John Neff Memorial (full) Scholarship, Penland School of Crafts
2000 Seong Scholarship, Konkuk University, Korea

Professional experiences:
2012 SOFA Chicago, SNAG Emerging Jewelry Artist Speaker, Navy Pier, Chicago | Present PT Lecturer, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Chicago State University, Chicago | Present Artist in Residence in Jewelry, Lillstreet Art Center, Chicago
2011-2012 Instructor (TA), 2D-Design, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2011 Teaching Assistant, Beginning Metals, University of Wisconsin-Madison
2010 Participant, Whirligig Design Cherette with lead artist, Jill Sebastian, New South Campus Union, Wisconsin percent for Art Commission
2007-2009 Instructor, Aurum-Paik’s Jewelry Academy, Seoul, Korea
2005 Teaching Assistant, Yeonmi Kang, Seoul National University, Seoul, South, Korea
Course: Beginning Metals

2012 The Body Adorned, SNAG | SENSATION-heejin hwang | Jewelbook - International Annual of Contemporary Jewel Art 12/13. Stichting Kunstboek, Oostkamp, Belgium | Transformation, The Society for Cotemporary Craft
2011 Jewelry + Objects catalog | edit: fashion magazine #18
2010 500 Silver Jewelry Designs: The Powerful Allure of a Precious Metal. Author: Marthe Le Van and Talya Baharal, Lark Books
2005 500 Bracelets: An Inspiring Collection of Extraordinary Designs. Editor: Marthe Le Van, Lark Books

Pistachios Gallery
Chicago, USA