Exploring the Art of Bookmaking: Yoonshin Park's "Prompt and Prompted"

Yoonshin Park's exhibition, "Prompt and Prompted," currently on display at the Hyde Park Art Center until May 10, 2026, challenges traditional notions of what a book can be. Park, who was born and raised in South Korea and later studied at Columbia College in Chicago, utilizes her art to explore the intricate relationship between books, their creators, and their readers. The exhibition features a variety of installations that blur the lines between literature and visual art, inviting viewers to reconsider the meaning and function of books.

New York Observer

The exhibition showcases several distinct series, including "Tied" and "Against the Grain." The "Tied" series consists of rectangular, wall-mounted collections of handmade paper, creating tactile sculptures that communicate through color and texture rather than text. Another notable installation, "Neither flat nor fixed," features a large L-shaped structure that extends from the wall onto the floor, resembling a bed with a giant headboard. This piece incorporates rolled-up paper spools, evoking the idea of unreadable secrets.

New York Observer

In addition to Park's work, the exhibition includes pieces created by her students, inspired by one-word prompts. These works further explore the concept of books as objects, with pieces like Priya Deb’s "To be held/not held," which resembles a toilet paper spool made of rough black cotton pulp paper, and Virginia Van Vynckt’s "If a Tree Falls," a series of marbled copper invitation cards with elliptical messages.

New York Observer

Park's installations invite viewers to engage with the idea of communication and meaning in a multifaceted way. By enlarging and scrambling the conventional form of a book, she emphasizes the intersubjective nature of reading and writing. One piece inspired by the prompt "escape" features silvery plastic sheets bound together, with messages that suggest a struggle for freedom. This work exemplifies the complex relationship between the reader and the text, as it raises questions about confinement and liberation.

New York Observer

Park's intention to include student work in the exhibition stems from her belief in the collaborative nature of bookmaking. She states, “Bookmaking has so many possibilities, and it generates ideas so easily, because it is already a kind of hybrid format.” This sentiment reflects her desire to extend the conversation about books beyond the classroom and into a public space, fostering a community dialogue about the evolving nature of literature.

New York Observer

Park emphasizes that her art is not only a reflection of her own creativity but also a catalyst for others. She believes that the best books are those that inspire new creations, stating, “the bigger and more oddly shaped, the better.” This collaborative spirit is central to "Prompt and Prompted," as it showcases the beauty of artist books and the diverse interpretations of what a book can represent.

New York Observer

• “A book always implies a writer, a reader and the meaning shared between them, and Park’s show builds on and plays with this relationship.” — Yoonshin Park, Artist

New York Observer

• “Part of the joy of reading and of the world of books is the way you can follow people talking to each other and thinking with and against each other across time, across cultures and across borders.” — Yoonshin Park, Artist

New York Observer

• “has so many possibilities, and it generates ideas so easily, because it is already a kind of hybrid format.” — Yoonshin Park, Artist

New York Observer

Through "Prompt and Prompted," Yoonshin Park invites audiences to explore the limitless potential of books, encouraging a reimagining of their forms and functions in contemporary art.

New York Observer