ANTWERP.- ‘Proceed’ is Giseok Kim’s (Seoul) first major European exhibition. It is the culmination of a period of research and focused experimentation in a particular direction, around a particular material and type of object – the Aluminium Shelf series.

Consisting of nuts (joints), bolts (columns) and folded aluminium sheets (surfaces), the Aluminium Shelf series was initiated as a project reflecting architecture and industry. Rather than a specific set of objects, the essence of the series lies in an infinitely expandable modular system that emphasises order, symmetry, stability and efficiency.

The Latin root of ‘proceed’ (procedere) means ‘to go forward’ or ‘to advance’, but the word is also a phonetic echo of ‘pro’ and ‘seed’, implying a certain kind of reproduction, the cultivation of a genetic (design) lineage. The new suite of unique, site-specific works created for ‘Proceed’ evince a clear family resemblance – they are assembled from the same three components as the Aluminium Shelf series – but slightly skew the design logic of symmetry and functionality. Through extensions, special finishes and slantwise cuts, their character as functional objects is fundamentally altered. They are no longer semi-neutral ‘receptacles’ for objects, but eccentric volumes, hovering between ‘shelf’ and sculpture. As ‘empty shelves’, they simultaneously stimulate and thwart the desires to fill and to leave empty.

These new site-specific works are embedded in a residential showroom setting alongside found objects and furniture by anonymous or unknown makers (curated by Milan Henderickx/COUR), which serve as complement or counterpoint to Giseok’s structures. Low furniture such as lamps and seating ground the presentation and provide a visual anchor point, while suspended candles emphasise the shelves’ verticality and reflective qualities. Many of these objects have aged over time, blending seamlessly with the architecture – like a rusty metal chair sourced from a waste container, now repurposed as sculptural display for a hand-drawn floor plan. Delicate pencil drawings on inconspicuous surfaces in the room reference the delicate strings by which the candles are suspended. These touches reveal the presence of the designer’s hand, serving as a reminder that the units were thoughtfully designed and manually assembled, in contrast to their potentially sterile or factory-produced appearance.

Over the course of the evening, as the light fades, the showroom undergoes a transformation. In the central room, where natural light is the only source of illumination by day, the shelves disclose their interior depth, revealing the unexpected gradations of anodised metal or unfinished aluminium. Burning candles inflict streaks of orange in the metal from close proximity or a hazy incandescence from afar, like the glow upon the horizon at sunset.

Giseok Kim engages in various space-based activities such as architecture, interior, installations, objects and furniture. He is based in Seoul, Antwerp and The Hague. In 2019, he founded the spatial design studio Spatial Semiology (2019–2022), which focused on constructing spaces centred around movable elements and symbols, moving beyond traditional interior design constraints. At the end of 2022, Giseok moved to Antwerp, Belgium, to launch his second practice, Faktor (2022–2023), which focused on object design and small-scale production industries. In 2023 he started a partnership with COUR in Antwerp, which represents him as an artist.