Sangmin Oh’s Knitted Lights Bring Deeper Appreciation for the Natural World’s Extraordinary Beauty.

Sangmin Oh with his Knitted Light installation at Alcova 2023.

Acropora of Knitted Light at Alcova. Photo by Osangmin Studio.

Netherlands and Korea-based Sangmin Oh‘s Knitted Lights is a collaborative project crafted with the Textile Museum in Tilburg. Sangmin’s visually arresting project merges light and textiles, knitting a rich tapestry of narratives inspired by the captivating beauty of glowing coral reefs.

Unique materials like monofilament thread and flexible elastic yarns are ingeniously used to create knitted 3D forms. In the play of light, the textile transforms from a natural-looking sculpture to an ethereal entity that glows even in darkness, mirroring the radiant but threatened coral landscapes. Sangmin’s mesmerising spectacle, shown at Alcova 2023, serves as a call to preserve the natural world’s exquisite beauty.

Wellbeing at Your Feet: Thankspressure Rug by Osangmin Studio.

Two realms of acupressure and dance, serious and exciting, eastern and western are playfully joined in this project...

Acropora Dendrogyra Of Knitted Light at Alcova. Photo by Osangmin Studio.

A series of Sangmin Oh’s Knitted Lights. Photo courtesy of Osangmin Studio.

Blue Dendrogyra for Rademakers Gallery.

Photo by Patty Van Den Elshout.

Sangmin Oh established his design & art practice, Osangmin Studio, in 2021. He is influenced by sculptural crafts, textile techniques, colour of explored materials and architectural elements with an unusual focus on the trivial and small empty spaces.

“I want to fill up those brief, empty spaces,” he explains. “They can be filled up with emotional or visual stories and even with new realisations.”

Less, Light, Local: ITA NORI Seaweed Installation by We+.

This research project offers new value to discarded and non-edible nori seaweed, highlighting two qualities in the food source as a material...

Sangmin Oh with his creations. Photo by Juliana Verastegue Bayle.

Glowing in the dark! Photo by Ronald Smits.

To see more projects pushing the boundaries of material research and design, dive into our free publication MILANTRACE Digital 2023. Part Multimedia Magazine, part Video Documentary, this highly curated design resource and immersive experience offers a 360-degree look at the lasting impact of Milan Design Week and Salone Del Mobile.

EXPLORE MILANTRACE DIGITAL 2023

Step into the World of MILANTRACE Digital 2023.

Part Multimedia Magazine, part Video Documentary, this highly curated design resource is an immersive experience that offers unparalleled access to Milan Design Week & Salone del Mobile.

[Images courtesy of Sangmin Oh. Photography credits as noted.]