Soyeon Ahn, who has worked with the Foundation as curator of the Atelier Hermès since 2020, has invited painter Woojung Hoh (b. 1987, South Korea) to carry out an exploration of the glassmaking and crystalware skills of Saint-Louis. A graduate of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris, Woojung Hoh embodies the powerful artistic bond between France — where he has lived for over ten years — and his native South Korea.

Residency Programme

The residency will take place over the first semester of 2026, and begins with an immersive phase that will allow the painter to discover the numerous glassmaking skills that the Saint-Louis craftspeople use to create crystalware, from the “hot” workshop where glass is fused, fined, and gathered, to the “cold” workshop dedicated to cutting, engraving and decoration. Through this immersion he will get acquainted with the craftspeople who will accompany him over the course of his residency. This initial stage is followed by a conception phase, at the end of which production can begin in earnest. The completed work will be presented to the site’s craftspeople before being exhibited at a local cultural institution.

Artist’s Project

Abstract painter Woojung Hoh has an immersive approach to his representations, readily going beyond the canvas to work on the surrounding space and its architecture. By inviting him to create new work in the Saint-Louis workshops, Soyeon Ahn seeks to encourage the development of his sculptural practice by experimenting with crystal.