마승범(스튜디오 SMA)
Ma Seungbum(Studio SMA)

“What does it mean to rethink beams from the perspective of craft? To distinguish and redefine architectural elements is to seek new possibilities while remembering their starting point and essence. A beam, along with a pillar, is a structural element that bears and transmits load. When a beam is rotated 90 degrees, it becomes a pillar, and in a high-rise building, a pillar performs the same mechanical function as a cantilever beam on a wall. If the beam is thickened or widened, or if it is reduced in size and repeated, it becomes a floor or a ceiling. The spatial atmosphere and impression can change completely depending on subtle choices in size or arrangement.”—excerpt from the artist statement

Ma Seungbum(Studio SMA) is an architect who incorporates additional functions into the structural role of beams, imbuing them with aesthetics and spirituality through the choice of colors and materials. His <Op> series uses pure architectural elements such as beams, columns, and horizontal boards as its materials. The structures are assembled in the woven fashion of traditional wooden furniture or fastened with bolts and nuts like a bridge. Colored, translucent, reflective, or scattered—the pieces are produced through an architecture-based digital handicraft process and are meticulously fine-tuned during materialization. In this exhibition, Ma Seungbum presents a beam that performs its structural function while simultaneously exuding a distinct presence and fulfilling an aesthetic role. He also offers new and enjoyable spatial experiences through small architectural works crafted from beams. By examining the role and meaning of beams through works that appear different depending on the viewer’s position, gaze, and changes in the surrounding environment, he raises questions about the fundamental values and attitudes of architecture and crafts.