MUNTHE ART MONDAY:
Soojin Kang 

Please introduce yourself and tell us about what you do.

I am Soojin Kang, a South Korean-born artist based in Germany. My practice centers on textiles and sculpture, where I explore the dialogue between natural fibers, raw industrial materials, and architectural structures. Through weaving, knotting, and dyeing, I transform everyday materials into forms that reflect resilience, fragility, and transformation. My work is about metamorphosis - how the ordinary can transcend into something universal.

Soojin is wearing KIARAN CASHMERE KNIT from our THE SIMPLE STUDIO collection.

What has been the most challenging aspect of being a woman in the arts?

One challenge is balancing visibility and recognition. Female artists are still often expected to “explain” their use of certain materials, while male artists are assumed to be making grand gestures. I have had to fight against the perception that textile-based work is decorative or secondary. At the same time, this challenge drives me to insist more strongly on the seriousness and depth of my practice.

Could you explain more about how being a woman has affected your career?

Being a woman has influenced my path in subtle but profound ways. In textile art, there is often a historic association with “craft” or “women’s work.” Rather than resisting that perception, I embrace it and push it into a contemporary, sculptural space. Navigating the art world as a woman means sometimes confronting invisibility, but it also gives me strength to insist on the value of materials and processes that have traditionally been overlooked.

What would you like people to notice in your artwork?

I would like people to notice the traces of time and process - the knots, the fibers, the gestures of weaving and unweaving. I want them to sense both the fragility and strength within the materials, and to feel how something humble can hold a universal resonance. My work invites viewers to slow down and recognize transformation in its quiet, tactile form.

Can you name some other female (artist) that inspires you and explain why they do so?

I am deeply inspired by Louise Bourgeois, whose work transforms personal memory, pain, and fragility into universal forms. Her use of textiles and her fearless approach to the body resonate with me. I also admire Sheila Hicks, whose lifelong dedication to fiber shows how textile can be both intimate and monumental, soft yet powerful.

Soojin is wearing LIXIA BAG and KIARAN CASHMERE KNIT from our THE SIMPLE STUDIO collection.