Do Ho Suh

Fallen Star, 2008
"ABS, basswood, beech, ceramic, enamel paint, glass, honeycomb board, laquer paint, latex paint, LED lights, pinewood, plywood, resin, spruce, styrene, polycarbonate sheets, PVC sheets."
http://www.dezeen.com/2008/05/31/psycho-buildings-at-the-hayward/

Some/One, 2001
Thousands of nickel miltiary dog tags coming together to form a traditional Korean clothing.
http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/dohosuh.html

Reflection, 2005
"nylon fabric which are separated by a translucent fabric
‘floor’, appearing to be a reflection" from
http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/dohosuh.html

Public Figures, 2003
Cement pedestal turned upside down supported by miniature male and female plastic figurines.
http://www.publicartfund.org/pafweb/projects/03/metrotech/metrospective_suh_s03.html

"Floor" 2001
thick glass floor with thousands of tiny plastic human figures underneath
http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/dohosuh.html


Do-Ho Suh, from Seoul South Korea, was born in 1962. He earned BFA and MFA from Seoul National University, and fulfilled his required service in the South Korean military before coming to the USA and studying at Yale University. Suh is "best known for his intricate scultprues that defy conventional notions of scale and site-specificity," and draws attention to how public space is occupied (pbs.org/art21/artists/suh). Personally, I find Suh's work very interesting and meaningful because of the uniqueness involving personal and public space. In addition, his work involving a multitude of smaller pieces, such as figurines or dog tags, really stand out to be interpreted in many different ways. Reflecting on Asian culture and history, Suh's sculpture "Some/one" really stands out because of the mandatory military service of all the citizens. The individual dogtags coming together to only form one lonesome suit of armor can be interpreted to convey millions of lives for the sake of one; be it a leader, or perhaps a symbolic representation of the country as a whole. Overall, I thoroughly enjoy Suh's work for provoking thoughts about identity as an individual and as a whole!