Park Jung-hye, an alumna of the Department of Metal Crafts at Kookmin University, has won the Herbert-Hoffmann Award at SCHMUCKmünchen.

SCHMUCKmünchen is the world's oldest contemporary jewelry exhibition, founded in 1959 by Dr. Herbert-Hoffmann and held annually in March as a special exhibition at the German Handicraft Fair.

Each year, SCHMUCK receives approximately 700 applications to participate, and this year, 62 artists from 29 countries were selected from 789 applicants.

The Herbert Hofmann Prize, regarded as the “Oscar of artistic jewelry,” is awarded annually to three artists participating in the Schmuck exhibition. The winners receive a certificate and a plaque designed by Hermann Jünger.

Park Jung-hye's work repurposes waste materials to give them new value, modeling them into unique layered forms resembling landscapes and transforming them into brooches. Her work demonstrates that creativity and craftsmanship can extract value even from waste, conveying the message that we must save ourselves in the process of seeking beauty, and has received high praise.

Park Jung-hye's work

Saves Brooch / Hand-dyed Silk, 925 Silver / 10.5x9.5x1.8cm / 2024