HENN KIM

South Korean illustrator Henn Kim sees creativity as a form of emotional liberation. Through poetic minimalism in black and white with elements of fantasy, she captures complex emotions in just a few strokes, aiming to provoke thought.

A key name in the new wave of groundbreaking Asian illustrators, she was the first woman to collaborate on The Guest. Her approach to the iconic character is now 5 years old: two creations that speak to the world we live in and our role within it.

What is your first memory associated with Lladró? And with The Guest series?

Lladró’s previous collections have been a source of inspiration for me, as they seem to have no creative boundaries or limits in their artistry. When Lladró reached out to me for a collaboration on The Guest series, I found it both exciting and refreshing to think about working on another artist’s creation and reinterpreting it in my own way.

What is the concept behind your porcelain The Guest designs? Is there a message you wanted to convey through them?

The concept of this collection revolves around the cosmos and us. The universe is so vast that, when we think about it, we realize how small we are in comparison. Through these pieces, I wanted to express the idea that we are fragile beings with broken hearts in an immense world. However, despite the hardships, we continue to live and strive to bloom like beautiful flowers.

What do you hope to evoke in the viewer with your work, and with these two porcelain creations in particular?

I feel sad when people downplay their emotions and don’t allow themselves to care for their sadness. Of course, the world is huge, and we can’t always live exactly as we want or follow our own desires. That’s why I hope my work encourages people to acknowledge each other’s pain, to take care of one another, and to recognize the beauty in the resilience that allows us to bloom despite difficulties.

How did you find the experience of combining the art of illustration with the craftsmanship of handmade porcelain? And what was the transition like from two-dimensional art to three-dimensional form in Lladró’s contemporary sculptures?

When working on this project, I thought of the porcelain surface as a canvas—a space to tell my story. I often incorporate cosmic elements into my artwork, and it was fascinating to bring those elements into this imagined three-dimensional space. That’s how I built the narrative for this collection: the larger The Guest represents the world, while the smaller one symbolizes us, living within it.
This was also my first experience working on a 3D project. At first, it was challenging to visualize how my designs would translate onto the sculpture, but as the process unfolded, I was able to understand and adapt my work. The fact that the sculpture has legs and arms made it easier for me to connect with it on an emotional level.

And have you already decided where you will place your The Guest at home?

Of course! I’ve decided to place them on a shelf, right next to my favorite books in my studio.