Meekyoung Shin

Meekyoung Shin is a South Korean sculptor known for her innovative use of soap carving and diverse materials in creating statues inspired by Greco-Roman, Korean, and Chinese styles. Born in 1967 in Cheongju, she pursued her education in sculpture at Seoul National University, earning both a BFA and MFA before moving to London to further her studies at the Slade School of Fine Art and later the Royal College of Art. Her work bridges Eastern and Western artistic traditions, exploring themes of cultural translation and the passage of time through various mediums.

Shin's style spans a wide range of sizes, from handheld objects to large-scale installations, often using unconventional materials like soap, plaster, and fragrances. She challenges traditional notions of stability and beauty by repurposing classical forms with contemporary techniques. Notable projects include "Toilet Project," which features statues cast in soap, and "Written in Soap: A Plinth Project," where a historical statue was recreated in soap and left exposed to the elements, symbolizing the mutable nature of history.

Her exhibitions have been showcased at prestigious venues such as the British Museum, Saatchi Gallery, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, State Hermitage Museum, and Philadelphia Museum of Art. Through these works, Shin redefines cultural preservation and artistic innovation, blending traditional forms with ephemeral materials to evoke sensory engagement and cross-cultural dialogue.