HEEHWA JO Embroiderery Artist
I am a London-based embroidery artist originally from Seoul. My practice is rooted in Korean embroidery and textile traditions, bringing centuries-old craftsmanship into a contemporary context. Using traditional elements such as materials, designs and symbolism, I explore how traditional practices and visual languages can be reimagined today. Naturally, I imagine myself as a time traveller through my work. I believe tradition is not fixed, but constantly changes shape over time. Inspired by the past, I hope my work can become part of a future tradition.
Artist CV
Selected Exhibitions
2025 In Bloom, Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, UK
2025 Naturally Dyed, Artfully Stitched, and Culturally Tied, Phoenix Art Space, Brighton, UK
2025 The 11th Royal Culture Festival, Changgyeonggung Palace, Seoul, South Korea
2024 The 19th Craft Trend Fair: Extraordinary Objects That Shine in My Life, COEX, Seoul, South Korea
2024 Homo Faber 2024: The Journey of Life, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, Italy
2023 Solo exhibition, Korean Traditional Embroidery, Edinburgh Central Library, Edinburgh, UK
2022 Solo exhibition, JOHH Korean Traditional Embroidery, Hong Geonik House, Seoul, South Korea
2021 Objects of the Home – The Dignity of Life, Hong Geonik House, Seoul, South Korea
2020 One Day Ticket for Korean Crafts, KCDF Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2019 Sulwha Art Digital Exhibition, Seoul, South Korea.
2019 The Scent of Mugunghwa, Blossoming Through Stitches, Youngsan Art & Craft Center, Seoul, South Korea
Collections
2026 Wrapping Cloth for a Letter, Durham University, Durham, UK
2019 Embroidered Taegeukgi with Mugunghwa, Sookmyung Women’s University Museum, Seoul, South Korea
Publications
2026 전통자수 2: 한국의 전통 문양 수놓기 (Traditional Embroidery 2: Stitching Korean Motifs), Pampas
2019 전통자수: 한국의 기본 자수 배우기 (Traditional Embroidery: Learning Korean Embroidery), Pampas
Selected Experiences
2026 (upcoming) Workshop, Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity, British Museum, UK
2026 (upcoming) Lecture, Korean Embroidery: Flowing Colours, Tatter, USA
2026 Demonstration, Arts of Korea, V&A Museum, London, UK
2025 Talk, An Embroiderer’s Guide to Time and Thread: A Dialogue with the Past, Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, UK
2025 Workshop, Cambridge Korea Day, Cambridge University Library, UK
2024 Talk, How to Approach Korean Embroidery, Embroiderers Association of Canada, Canada
2024 Lecture, Korean Embroidery: Wishing for Longevity, Tatter, USA
2023 Lecture, Korean Traditional Embroidery, Youngming Lee, USA
2022 Workshops, Traditional Embroidery, Hong Geonik House, Seoul, South Korea
2017–2022 Proprietor and Educator, Barneul Embroidery Studio, South Korea
Education & Training
2019 Certification in Traditional Embroidery, Korea Traditional Crafts and Architecture School, Korea Heritage Service, Seoul, South Korea
2011 BA in Korean Language and Literature, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
2011 BA in Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea