“THESE PRECIOUS THINGS”
Value /ˈvaljuː/
1. the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.

Who decides what is valuable? How do we prescribe or decide the value in something, be it a raw virgin material, a skill, knowledge, language, cultural identity, or an object – whether it be a measurable commercial value or sentimental value. The climate crisis looms ever present in each of our lives. Natural resources such as forests and mineral deposits are rapidly being depleted as virgin materials to satisfy our seeming insatiable desire for more. Landfill sites are overflowing. Oceans are so full of plastic we’re now ingesting it. We have more than enough stuff on the planet already, so why make more?

In response to the theme 'These Precious Things", given by curator Suzy Annetta, Studio Karyn Lim created a new series of 'So Plast!c' vessels made from used polymailers which is a common waste outcome of the e-commerce industry.

Featured in: Female | SCMP | Wallpaper*

Photography by Studio Periphery for Fifth Black

A conscious exploration of material, form and function with Studio Karyn Lim

Boutiques was yet another unexpected venture when the studio first made an appearance at The Gifting Edition in 2022. Prior to receiving the Young Designers Showcase Grant (YDSG) that November, Karyn had only been showing at design exhibitions or trade shows. Boutiques presented a different opportunity — one that allowed her to connect directly with shoppers in a retail environment, and offer them a more intimate understanding of her work before committing to a purchase.

Her Boutiques debut prompted the creation of “Lightness”, a line of accessories inspired by and developed for the community at Boutiques. The “Lightness” line is more accessible compared to other pieces in Karyn’s portfolio, most of which are one-of-a-kind. At the same time, Karyn stays firm to her design ethos — often making each piece by intuition and playing around with new shapes, colours and proportions, resulting in limited collections of certain designs. Over subsequent editions of Boutiques, “Lightness” has evolved through Karyn’s own experimentation and conversations with shoppers she encounters at the event.

What are you most excited for at the upcoming edition?
I’m looking forward to meeting both new and familiar faces. I enjoy connecting with the Boutiques community, exchanging tips and ideas, and sharing about my work with people who might be interested. At each edition, I have been able to chat with the lovely people who support the studio by appreciating my work and wanting to own a piece or two. People would ask where else they can see my work, and that led me to create a dedicated Instagram account for the pieces that I retail at Boutiques. Regardless, Instagram does not replace the in-person experience, since each piece that I make by hand is unique.

This upcoming edition, I will be showing a wider range of pieces including larger works such as the “So Plast!c” tables. I am excited for the conversations around these pieces and hearing the thoughts that people have when they encounter my work. 

Featured in: Business Times | Her World | Female | Tatler Homes | SG Magazine

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Excerpt from Boutique Fairs Conversations, by Public Culture.

Shared about how I used AI to design a fictional luxury hotel that made the cover of Tatler Homes (Singapore), and how this fast-developing technology might help us to develop a new vision for hotel design and development, at Hi Design Asia, an annual gathering of Asia's hospitality design community. Also conducted a fun and interactive session, with Harry McKinley as moderator, to give the audience a chance to use AI to create an image of their visions of the future of hotels and hospitality.

Our second year being a part of EMERGE! A showcase of Southeast Asian Design curated by Suzy Annetta, editor-in-chief of Design Anthology, who has been a constant voice in supporting & spotlighting the work of designers from our region. We presented 'So Plast!c' small tables amongst pieces by talented designers, now friends, from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, and Singapore.

Featured in: Dezeen | Asia Designers Directory

So Plast!c small tables & vessels are now on view at Sol Luminaire x Industry+  'Designers & Crafters edition 01' exhibition. The show celebrates Singapore's designers and crafters exploring unconventional boundaries across disciplines.

Venue: Galerie 5
Dates: 07.08-30.09.2023

Featured in: Tatler Homes

Photo: @humanplusspace

Studio Karyn Lim presented, for the first time, at the prestigious SaloneSatellite held within the international furniture trade fair Salone del Mobile Milano. SaloneSatellite is an event founded by Marva Griffin in 1998 dedicated to designers under 35, which aims to facilitate the relationship between business and young designers.

The studio launched new small tables and vessels under 'So Plast!c'. Plastic waste is collected, cleaned, and used to produce each unique piece. So Plast!c changes the perception of disposables by turning them into precious objects. So Plast!c harnesses the potential of plastic waste to exist as permanent pieces of design art for homes and commercial spaces.

Venue: SaloneSatellite B20, Fiera Milano, Rho
Dates: 18-23.04.2023

Featured in: Design Milk  |  Design Anthology  |  The Straits Times  |  Feast & Form

Accessories from the 'Lightness' series were very well received at Boutique Fairs' Gifting Edition. Lots of people asked where they could find them after the fair, so we created an IG shop - a digital catalogue of handmade items from the studio. No two pieces are the same! Find & follow us on Instagram @shop.karynlim

Studio Karyn Lim was amongst the first recipients of the Young Designers Showcase Grant by Boutique Fairs. It was our first time taking part in a retail-centric fair, and we took the opportunity to launch new accessories from the 'Lightness' series. 

Featured in: Female  |  The Straits Times

Had the privilege to share about my practice with the design community of Tokyo at PECHAKUCHA NIGHT x DESIGNART TOKYO SPECIAL alongside rising and established designers whose works I admire. Pecha Kucha, which usually means 'chit-chat', is a unique presentation format of '20x20', meaning 20 images x 20 seconds per slide. It was invented by founders Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein as a solution to overly long presentations.

SHIBUYA QWS（渋谷キューズ）
22 October 2022, 7.30pm

Sculptures for Use

Karyn Lim was selected as one of five designers at the UNDER30 showcase. She exhibited variations of Transformation Bags including OMO made from upcycled wood, in collaboration with Fani Atmanti, and a special edition made using coloured corrugated board Fine Flute supported by Takeo Co. Ltd. The exhibition display stand was made using Graydan, a grey corrugated cardboard made using recycled newspapers and magazines, supported by Oji Group. Special thanks to Tomomi Nagayama.

21-30 October 2022
Designart Gallery, Hz Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan