Donghee NamDE

Studio

ich ((üb)er)lebe — material studies & atelier observations toward the new work

Sketches

  • Booklet cover: a photograph of the atelier, with cardboard panels set with razor blades on the wall, a mirror, a row of light bulbs on a desk and tall hanging strips of dried seaweed, above the title 'ich ((üb)er)lebe'.

    Atelier Overview

  • Booklet page Razor Blades: a photograph of razor blades set in cardboard, casting sharp shadows, beside her text, and below it three process photographs of the shadows.

    Razor Blades

  • Booklet page Light Study: a tall photograph of cardboard panels on a wall under small spotlights, beside her text, and below it three process photographs of lines and shadows on cardboard.

    Light Study

  • Booklet page Kim: a tall photograph of a hanging panel of dried purple seaweed in front of an atelier window, her text, and three process photographs of the panels in light.

    Kim

  • Booklet page Husk: a photograph of a dark seaweed sculpture on a white table in the atelier, beside her text, and below it three process photographs of the sculpture from other sides.

    Husk

  • Booklet page Lighthouse: a tall photograph of a narrow column covered in empty blister packs, standing in the atelier, her text, and three process photographs of its slit and inner light.

    Lighthouse

  • Booklet page Soju: a photograph of pale green glass bottles in front of a wall, their shadows carrying faint writing, beside her text, and below it three process photographs of the shadows.

    Soju

  • Booklet page Spoon Clock: a photograph of blue plastic spoons heaped on a white board above a stack of notebooks, beside her text, and below it three process photographs of the board and its two clock hands.

    Spoon Clock

Photo: Donghee Nam

Studio study

ich ((üb)er)lebe, studio study, video, 2026

Video: Donghee Nam

Open Studio 2026

The studio in violet light seen through the room: tall panels of dried seaweed hang from the ceiling, a dark seaweed sculpture lies on a white table in front, and a flame-shaped patch of violet light glows on the right-hand wall.

Photo: Donghee Nam

basis, 20th anniversary · 19 September 2026 · Studio 506, Frankfurt am Main

For the basis anniversary, Studio 506 was open for four hours: dried seaweed (kim) panels in violet light, a tower of empty blister packs, razor blades and their shadows, mirror foil with video projection. The foil stood in front of an upright mattress and cast the light onto the ceiling like the sea. Showing what is there — composed anew in the room.

  • Close view of a hanging seaweed panel beside a strip of empty blister packs, with a video projection of a green hillside and a red Korean sign on the wall behind.

    Photo: Donghee Nam

  • Donghee Nam in a blue knitted cap and dark clothes stands at a white table and touches a hanging seaweed panel with both hands; on the table lies a dark seaweed sculpture, and behind her more panels hang in violet light.

    Photo: Benjamin Blume

  • Two hanging seaweed panels of violet and black squares frame a cardboard sheet with razor blades set in lines and their shadows, in warm light.

    Photo: Benjamin Blume

Open Atelier 2021, AtelierFrankfurt

A look into the studio, 18 July 2021

Video: Donghee Nam